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Committee endorses memorial supporting Stibnite project and domestic antimony production
Summary
The committee gave a do‑pass recommendation to Senate Joint Memorial 103, which expresses support for the Stibnite gold/antimony project and urges federal permitting progress; committee discussion included concerns about factual claims in the memorial text.
Representative John Shirts presented Senate Joint Memorial 103, a measure expressing state support for the Stibnite mine project and for federal permitting processes to continue with an emphasis on restoring domestic antimony supplies. Shirts said the mine could help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign antimony, which he described as important for national defense and other uses.
Representative Church spoke to the motion and said parts of the memorial contain statements that he believed were not fully accurate — specifically, claims that the approved plan would leave environmental conditions better than today and that development would not harm fish or habitats. Church said the approved plan would expand the impacted area and include substantial work on public lands, and he voiced concern about broad language in the memorial that asserts environmental improvements as fact.
Shirts responded that the site had not been cleaned up properly previously and that the current process would allow for proper cleanup and reclamation; he asked the committee to send the memorial to the floor to support permitting progress.
Representative Miller and others expressed support for development of strategic minerals in Idaho. No outside witnesses were listed to testify at the hearing. Representative Dygert moved the do‑pass recommendation; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
Votes at a glance
- Motion: Send Senate Joint Memorial 103 to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation. Mover: Representative Dygert. Outcome: Approved (voice vote; exact tallies not specified).
Ending
The memorial will be sent to the House floor; discussion flagged specific language in the draft that some members said overstates environmental outcomes and should be fact-checked in later drafts.
