HELENA – An appeals court has upheld a judge’s dismissal of a challenge to a proposed mine in northwestern Montana.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Wednesday that Judge Donald Molloy’s ruling in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Revett Minerals was proper.
Revett wants to mine up to 10,000 tons of copper and silver from beneath the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness.
Environmentalists claimed that the Fish and Wildlife Service mistakenly concluded the mine would pose no risk to endangered bull trout and grizzly bears.
Molloy concluded and the appellate court confirmed that the federal agency adequately considered the impacts to the species.
But the mine still faces challenges. A Helena judge had previously ruled ordered a more rigorous state permitting process before the company can proceed.