Tucker Wants Assurance Of Water Quality

Idaho needs to make sure pollution from ASARCO’s proposed Rock Creek mine in Montana doesn’t damage Lake Pend Oreille, Sen. Tim Tucker argued Friday.

Tucker, D-Porthill, proposed a legislative resolution calling on Gov. Phil Batt to work with Montana Gov. Marc Racicot to guarantee that Pend Oreille doesn’t get polluted by the mine that would go in just upstream on the Clark Fork River. The measure would:

Call on Batt to start negotiations with Racicot aimed at minimizing the impact on the lake. It also asks Batt to request that the company provide more specific data on how the project would affect the Clark Fork River, Pend Oreille’s main tributary, before it can proceed with the permit process. The mine would discharge thousands of gallons of metals-tainted water into the river daily, according to a draft environmental impact statement.

Ask Batt to direct the Idaho Division of Environmental Quality to step up efforts to assure that Idaho’s water quality standards will be met at the Montana-Idaho border once the mine is up and running.

Urge Batt to request an EPA hearing under the federal Clean Water Act’s provision for interstate disputes.

State that the Idaho Legislature opposes any activity in Montana that has a negative impact on water quality in Lake Pend Oreille.

Tucker called Pend Oreille “one of the most valued resources in the whole state.”

“We need to make sure that some mine doesn’t pollute our lake,” he said.

The Senate Resources & Environment Committee voted to introduce Tucker’s resolution.

, DataTimes