A few minutes of your time can help protect public lands on the doorstep to Yellowstone National Park. We need to extend our temporary time-out on mining claims. But a 20-year extension is not enough. We need our Montana delegation united behind the Yellowstone Protection Act to make these protections permanent.
Prospecting for large scale gold mines are moving forward despite strong opposition from business owners, conservationists, and Montana elected officials. A Canadian company has secured investments to begin exploration this summer in Emigrant Gulch. And mining interests on Crevice Mountain have the necessary permits to begin mining on the very border of Yellowstone National Park.
We can slow this threat to our jobs and way of life by extending the temporary time out and ultimately once and for all if our entire delegation pushes together to support the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act.
The Protection act is a simple, straightforward bill to ensure our jobs, way of life, and free flowing Yellowstone River will never be compromised by industrial gold mines.
Tell the Forest Service to do the right thing and recommend extending our mineral withdrawal for 30,370 acres of public land in the Emigrant and Crevice areas to the maximum they are allowed – 20 years.
Your voice is more important now than ever. The final decision rests with Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke and your comments will remind the Secretary that there’s plenty of public support for his pledge, "The gates of Yellowstone are not to be mined." Make your voice heard!
Sign-on to our letter or share your own comments with the Forest Service here.
The deadline is April 29.
If you would like to get in touch with a member of the Yellowstone Gateway Business Coalition, please email us at: yellowstonegatewaybusiness@gmail.com
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF GROSSENBACHERPHOTO.COM, STEVEN DRAKE AND ERIC IAN
