A Missoula County District judge ordered the closure of the Elbow Lake gravel pit mine while a lawsuit plays out saying officials haven’t properly vetted its impact.
Judge John Larson ordered the initial temporary closure of the mine near Clearwater Junction last month after a nonprofit sued the state arguing Montana Department of Environmental Quality failed to conduct a thorough environmental assessment.
In a hearing held July 21, the nonprofit, Protect the Clearwater, argued the mine presented threats to human and environmental health. Department of Environmental Quality employees maintained they conducted a proper assessment based on the information they were provided.
Judge Larson sided with Protect the Clearwater and ordered a halt on all related construction and mining activities until a final decision on the permit is made. Protect the Clearwater appealed the state’s permitting decision to the Montana Board of Environmental Review, which is expected to re-examine the case and issue a final verdict on the mine’s permit in the coming months.