Keeping Our Water Clean from Mining Waste

Driving through the barren hillsides and poisoned streams of Idaho's Silver Valley, it's easy to see scars the mining industry left on Idaho's hillsides — and the harm mining pollution brought Idahoans and our communities.

This damage isn't history. Abuses continue today.

• A Canadian mining company, Atlanta Gold, wants to construct an open pit cyanide heap leach gold mine 60 miles northeast of Boise in the headwaters of the Boise River. The Boise River provides 20% of Boise's municipal water supply. The proposed mine will require transportation of truckloads of poisonous chemicals on narrow riverside roads, blasting of huge pits into tree-covered mountains, and care and containment of toxic wastes in perpetuity. Learn more
• Huge gold processing facilities in Northern Nevada emit massive amounts of toxic mercury into the air. This mercury drifts over Southern Idaho where it contaminates our waterways, rendering Idaho fish unsafe to eat. Learn more
• In the phosphate-mining region of Southeast Idaho, a mining by-product called selenium has contaminated the water and soil, killing livestock and poisoning fisheries.

Laws like the Clean Water Act are designed to protect our families from water pollution. That's why the Idaho Conservation League works collaboratively to make certain agencies and mining companies follow the law.

Mining on public land is managed under the antiquated 1872 Mining Law. This law predates Idaho statehood and has never seen major reforms. The Idaho Conservation League is working to modernize this law, and to make sure Idaho always has clean water, healthy ecosystems and vibrant wildlife.

Mining can have a bright future in Idaho, but not at the expense of our clean water, our health or our communities.

For mining questions, contact Justin Hayes or call 208.345.6942 x24.