Monsanto Proposes Blackfoot Bridge Mine Plan

The Monsanto Company is planning a new mine north of the current Conda Mine Superfund Site. This new mine has the potential of releasing high concentrations of selenium pollution directly into the Blackfoot River. 40% of the streams draining into the upper Blackfoot River are already polluted with toxic selenium.

"Every phosphate mine developed to date has had water quality problems and violations," said Marv Hoyt of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Hoyt said GYC is still evaluating Monsanto's proposal, but so far, it appears to be the best mining proposal it has seen for the area.

Even so, Hoyt is concerned that there may be some flaws in the company's water models, which could result in more selenium being released than predicted by the models.

"I'd like to think this [the proposed liner] is going to work, and it may, but I think it's too early to say," Hoyt said.

The bottom line is that past pollution from exisitng and older mines has still not been cleaned up. The Blackfoot River as it passes the proposed mine site is already polluted with unacceptable levels of selenium. Any new selenium that reaches the river from the new mine would break the laws that govern clean water. Since the proposed mine site comes virtually to the edge of the river, the time of passage into the river in the event of any mistakes will be very, very short.

Add to this the impact of the Conda superfund site inmmediately adjacent and we have a very dangerous situation that could result in disaster if the new mine plan is not as perfect as Monsanto claims.

Unfortunately, history has proven that every wonderful promise made by the phosphate mining industry at the time of proposing a new mine has been broken. Despite such repetitive promises, not one single mine has been able to contain the pollution from spreading into streams and aquifers. Not one. Those who pay they price for each new failure are the diverse wildlife, the nearby livestock, and every one who values clean water.

Link to Blackfoot Bridge DEIS
Link to Official GYC Comments (.pdf)