The Idaho Falls District of the Bureau of Land Management and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest released a Record of Decision regarding the expansion of the Smoky Canyon Mine, Panels F & G. Their decision authorizes the J.R. Simplot Company to extend current open pit phosphate mining operations.
“Both the BLM and Forest Service have considered the resources at stake and have carefully weighed the analysis and public comments,” BLM Idaho Falls District Manager Joe Kraayenbrink said. “This decision incorporates state of the art mitigation, Best Management Practices and thorough analysis.”

According to the Forest Service, the Final Environmental Impact Statement was released to the public on Oct. 17, 2007 for a 30-day comment period. The initial comment period was extended an additional 30-days and over 47,000 comments were received.
“The level of public interest with this project is unprecedented for the phosphate patch,” stated Larry Timchak, Forest Supervisor for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. “As decision makers, we need to balance the public concerns with the laws and regulations that govern our management to reach a decision that provides for future phosphate mining in an environmentally sound and legal manner. I believe we have done that.”

The Caribou Clean Water Partnership disagrees.“If the Record of Decision is not reversed it will be a major setback for Idaho and Wyoming water quality,” said John Hart, a spokesman for the Caribou Clean Water Partnership. “If the federal agencies, whose job it is to protect our public lands, cannot compel the J.R. Simplot Co. to clean up past contamination and comply with clean water laws, then ordinary citizens are forced to take action. We will appeal this decision.”

Because each agency operates under different authorities, the BLM and Forest Service have each issued a separate ROD.The appeal period for the Forest Service, which is 45-days, opens Friday, June 13, 2008.
The BLM decisions regarding on-lease mining operations are the final administrative determination of the Department of Interior and are not subject to appeal.