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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 7, 1998
98-002
CONTACT: Jani Gilbert, Public Information Officer, (509) 456-4464
Sue Billings, Yakima Air Quality Unit Supervisor, (509) 575-2486
YAKIMA, WA - The Department of Ecology has issued an air quality
permit to the Battle Mountain Gold Company designed to protect air quality
during the construction, operation and reclamation phases of the proposed Crown
Jewel Mine.
The Crown Jewel Mine is an open-pit gold mine proposed for a site located about
three miles east of Chesaw in Okanogan County, by the Battle Mountain Gold
Company and Crown Resources.
The new permit reflects comments received from the public during a 30-day
public- comment period last fall and during a public hearing held in Oroville on
Oct. 15.
"We reviewed the project to make sure it is consistent with state air quality
laws," said Sue Billings, air quality supervisor in Ecology’s central regional
office. "There will be air contaminant emissions from the mine, but the
requirements built into this permit are designed to keep the emissions down to
allowable levels.
"It was good to have public comments to help us address concerns of people in
the local area, Billings said. "The public comments led us to place more
conditions on the project."
Ecology is mailing a copy of the air quality permit to those who commented. This
will be followed by another document containing Ecology’s responses to issues
raised.
Some of the permit conditions address emissions of dust from unpaved roads and
construction, while some require air quality controls and emission limits at
other points where emissions are likely.
As a result of public comments received, Ecology will set up a Crown Jewel
citizens advisory committee to advise Ecology about citizens’ concerns about
monitoring and other issues. Other changes to the draft air quality permit
require that Battle Mountain Gold 1) sample the liquid that can cause cyanide
emissions to the air, and 2) monitor for arsenic emissions to the air.
The largest amount of dust would be produced by the mine’s haul road (over which
large trucks transport ore from the open pit mine to the mill). If the mine
project moves forward, Ecology will review Battle Mountain Gold’s "fugitive dust
control plans" to make sure they are adequate for controlling those emissions.
The company also must monitor for dust concentrations in the air near the mine.
At the mill itself, the company would be required to use modern equipment to
control emissions from various stacks and vents. During milling, the ore would
be crushed, metals would be separated from the rock using cyanide, and the metal
would be cast into bars.
As required under the "1994 Metals Mining and Milling Act," Battle Mountain Gold
is responsible to supply an $818,844 "performance security," to assure the state
air monitoring will continue as long as needed. A performance security is
similar to a bond, making money accessible should problems arise.
The air quality permit can be appealed to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
This permit is among several local, state and federal permits required before
the project can begin. Among the permits still pending is a permit that would
include requirements to protect water quality. Ecology and Battle Mountain Gold
are working on prevention and treatment controls for water discharges from the
mine, needed to meet the state’s surface and ground water quality standards. A
public hearing on the water quality permit will be scheduled in the spring or
summer of 1998 in Oroville.
In addition, Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are reviewing the
proposal to make sure that construction activities will meet both state and
federal aquatic-resource protection requirements.
An environmental impact statement (EIS) was released early in 1997. In a related
document, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
selected an alternative for operating the mine. The proposal consists of an
open-pit mine that would operate 24 hours a day for about 10 years; including
construction, operation and reclamation. The mine would employ about 144 people
during operations, and produce an average of 3,000 tons of ore per day.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
