On December 18, 2019, Judge Lynn Winmill ruled the U.S. Forest Service needs to take a harder look at the environmental impacts of gold mining exploration to water quality and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, which Idaho considers a “sensitive species” at Otis Gold’s Kilgore Project. 

The Kilgore Project is located on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in the Centennial Mountains of Idaho and Montana, about 50 miles west of Yellowstone National Park. The tiny town of Kilgore, ID (population 7) is the closest community and is surrounded by farm and ranchlands. The Kilgore Project site drains into Camas Creek, into the headwaters of the Snake River Aquifer, and ultimately into the Camas National Wildlife Refuge. This area is critical for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, water for irrigation and aquifer recharge, and is a popular recreation area for hunting and angling.   

In Otis Gold’s mining plan, they say that if enough gold is found, they would then construct an open-pit, cyanide, heap-leach gold mine. Cyanide gold mining has left a lethal legacy in Idaho and other states. The DeLamar silver and gold mine near DeLamar, Idaho, dumped heavy metals into nearby streams on multiple occasions, and many migratory birds were fatally poisoned by its cyanide ponds. Idaho’s neighbor has already taken steps against risky gold mining. Back in 1998, Montana banned the use of cyanide in mining after the Zortman-Landusky mine disaster. The mine poisoned the local drinking water, and Montanans have paid millions for its clean-up. Greater Yellowstone’s water is simply more valuable than gold.  

GYC has a long legacy of protecting the ecosystem from destructive mines, including our recent win with the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act. As the voice for the Greater Yellowstone, GYC will continue to work to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife now and for future generations.

An enormous thank you to our litigation team at Advocates for the West and our friends at Idaho Conservation League.

If you want to get involved and help stop this gold mine, please e-mail Idaho Conservation Associate Allison Michalski at amichalski@greateryellowstone.org. You can also sign up for our e-mails to stay up-to-date on this effort and all our work. Thanks for your continued and loyal support!

-Kathy Rinaldi, Idaho Conservation Coordinator