Missoula County asks DEQ for inclusive, transparent review of Columbia Gold exploration

Missoula County commissioners submitted a request to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for a transparent review process on the Columbia Gold Project and asked that local governments, tribal communities and other affected communities be included as the project moves beyond exploratory phases. The request was presented during the county's administrative meeting on May 21, 2025.

A staff member (S4) told the board the proposed mining exploration activities are taking place in Lewis and Clark County but said the letter expresses Missoula County’s concerns because potential effects could lie within the greater Blackfoot and Clark Fork watershed — areas the staff member said hold “significant ecological, recreational, cultural, and economic importance for communities throughout Western Montana, including Missoula County.” The letter asks DEQ to continue a transparent process and include affected local and tribal stakeholders as results of exploratory work become available.

Staff asked the chair to sign a scanned copy of the letter; the clerk noted staff would scan the signed letter and did not request mailing the original. One of the items in the packet was postponed until the next Tuesday administrative meeting to allow additional time for discussion.

The transcript records the board’s approval to proceed with the letter (staff requested a signature and indicated a scan would be sent); the record does not include a formal roll-call vote or a detailed legal citation for the request.