Spokane, Washington - Revett Minerals Inc. (TSX-RVM) President and CEO Bill Orchow stated ”The Rock Creek copper-silver mine in northwest Montana has moved a giant step closer to reality”, as a result of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) re-issuance today of a favorable non-jeopardy Biological Opinion concerning grizzly bears and bull trout in the project area. 

 

According to the agency’s Biological Opinion, the company’s plan “includes a suite of measures” which will “have a net positive impact on grizzly bears and grizzly bear habitat throughout the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem (CYE).” 

 

“This is good news for the economy, good news for Northwest Montana, and good news for wildlife,” said Orchow.  He further noted that a team of biologists and other experts closely examined Revett’s plan of operations, as well as the conservation measures, and determined the grizzly population will indeed benefit from implementation of Revett’s plan.

 

The suite of measures to be taken by the company includes everything from purchasing more than 2,400 acres of prime habitat near the mine to funding two grizzly bear management specialists and a law enforcement officer for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

 

“The biologists and others who have spent years developing this Biological Opinion have determined that the grizzly bear population needs help if it is going to survive, and the Rock Creek Project will provide for a substantial portion of that help,” Orchow said.  “Any group that appeals this Biological Opinion will therefore be putting the CYE grizzly population at further risk.”

 

The Biological Opinion supports the Forest Service Record of Decision which is the document summarizing over sixteen years of study and public comment for development of the underground copper-silver operation near Noxon, Montana. Orchow said Revett has begun finalizing the agreements and reclamation bonding necessary to commence the evaluation adit phase of the project.

 

The study by USFWS officials of the interactions between the proposed mine and wildlife began in 1998 and the Biological Opinion is the culmination of that study process.  Along with providing benefits to the grizzly bear population, the study said “We conclude that the measures in the plan required of the Forest and Revett, if implemented, would result in a net reduction in the future human-caused grizzly bear mortality rates, even with development and operation of the proposed mine.”

 

The Biological Opinion also includes a detailed examination of the mine’s effect on bull trout.  In doing so, USFWS reviewed more than 100 previously conducted biological opinions, and determined that “no actions that have undergone section 7 consultation, considered either singly or cumulatively, will appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the bull trout or result in the loss of any subpopulations.”   “In fact many of them will benefit bull trout.” The Service concludes that the Rock Creek project “is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of bull trout in the affected core area (Lower Clark Fork Core Area).”

 

According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the plan, Revett will fund several items which will assist in the recovery of the grizzly population in the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem (CYE) and “will more than offset” any displacement caused by the mine.  They include:

• The purchase of or perpetual conservation easement on 2450 acres of high-quality grizzly bear habitat in the CYE that is at risk of being developed.
• Two Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks grizzly bear management specialists over the life of the mine
• One law enforcement officer over the life of the mine
• Grizzly bear information, education and outreach programs and projects, in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Forest Service
• Monitoring and research efforts specifically targeting the CYE grizzly bear population
• The purchase of grizzly bear-resistant garbage containers
• The conversion of the Sanders County garbage transfer station and others in the CYE over time, to be grizzly bear resistant
• Bear-resistant garbage receptacles at Forest Service campgrounds

The agency also said there will be an “Oversight Committee, with technical input and advice from the Service, working cooperatively to ensure the implementation of the numerous measures in the Forest’s mitigation plan.” 

 

For more information, contact: 

 

Bill Orchow or Carson Rife

Revett Minerals, 509-921-2294