[MCN] Friends of the Jocko Community Presentation - May 8th, 7-9 pm

[Jim Coefield]

 <https://friendsofthejocko.org/>
Community Presentation

Please join us 
May 8th, 7-9 pm 
at the Brown Building in Arlee
(On HWY 93 North, just before Wilson’s Grocery, on the right)

On April 3rd Friends of the Jocko was informed that the MT DEQ had approved the Permit for the Riverside Contracting gravel pit and asphalt plant here in Arlee. 

We have been meeting with our legal team to discuss options for moving forward. We also met with the Tribal Council to continue to provide information. We believe that this Permit and the process that approved it violated our State Constitutional rights, federal law, Treaty rights, environmental laws, and MEPA. Yet the DEQ has chosen to act as a rubber stamp for inappropriate industrial developments like this.

Since the permit has been issued, legal action has become the only way to press the DEQ into listening to our concerns and to properly evaluate this site as is required under State, Federal and Tribal statutes or Treaty rights. 

However, this litigation will have significant financial costs, and we are looking for a funder, a group of funders, or grants to help us pay for the future legal bills that exceed what our members are able to contribute. Thank you to everyone for your continued support and thank you to everyone who has donated!

The community presentation on May 8th will inform our community and supporters of the decision by DEQ to issue the permit and to outline the legal actions available to us. We will be available to answer questions and discuss this project and its impacts on the local community.

We believe the DEQ has not properly considered the guidelines of MEPA (Montana Environmental Policy Act), a strong law and guiding force that helps to guarantee our Constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. Nor has DEQ adhered to the Opencut Mining Act that regulates how they process and regulate permits. This has resulted in our Constitutional right to Participate being violated.

If you are new to following along on this issue, please scroll down for a summary of what has happened over the past year and how we have been involved. 

Things to know:
The permit is now valid and operations could begin at any time. Riverside Contracting has stated it is just waiting to win bids on local construction contracts to open the gravel pit/asphalt plant.
Although the contractor (Riverside Contracting) says they have no immediate plans to operate, the permit is valid for at least 25 years and could be extended.

Challenging the permit has a deadline of the end of May. Now is the time to move forward!
You can read the DEQ permit approval letter <https://friendsofthejocko.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Permit-Approval-Notice-To-Interested-Parties-3415.pdf>, the final environmental assessment <https://friendsofthejocko.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Final-Standard-EA-3415.pdf> and issued permit here <https://friendsofthejocko.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Standard-Permit-3415.pdf>.

If you know of other potential donors or sources of funding, please write us <mailto:info at friendsofthejocko.org?subject=null&body=null>!
History of the project:
If you are new to following along, here is a brief summary of this project:
The permit application to the DEQ was submitted in April 2022 by Riverside Contracting for a 157-acre gravel pit and asphalt plant extracting up to 1,000,000 cubic yards of material at the end of White Coyote Road and Martz Drive.
Some nearby residents, but not all, were notified by the contractor of a 30 day period to request for a public meeting.
The DEQ did not hold a public meeting.
Throughout the next few months, Riverside worked with DEQ to finalize their application. 
During this time, neighbors and concerned community members met to determine actions forward and the nonprofit, Friends of the Jocko was formed.
We met with the Lake County Commissioners, Tribal government, EWAM Garden of 1,000 Buddhas and organizations involved with community activism and land protection.
Dozens of community members commented to the DEQ about the proposed permit and its negative impacts.
This is a quarter section of private land, and the permit is under jurisdiction of the MT DEQ Opencut Mine Division.
However, the DEQ is still still required to follow Montana laws for clean air, clean water and public participation. 
Because of our requests, the DEQ issued a minimal draft environmental assessment, instead of a “checkbox EA" in February 2023. 
Our law firm and a hydrogeologist prepared extensive comments and reporting on the inadequacies of the draft environmental assessment. Members of the community commented on this as well. DEQ stated they received almost 180 comments on the EA, 9 time the average amount of comments for permits like this.
In April 2023, the DEQ issued a final environmental assessment, claiming most of the concerns were not valid, and issued the permit for operation
This recent MT PBS segment <https://watch.montanapbs.org/video/111-sidney-sugars-open-cut-mining-b7kx7h/> illustrates how the changes in the Opencut law have affected communities like ours.
Donate Now!
 <https://friendsofthejocko.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8cddae8c9d71cb372eedee7a1&id=720ebf0e8e&e=8136d2f83c>
Help protect the Jocko Valley!

Our Website
 <https://friendsofthejocko.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8cddae8c9d71cb372eedee7a1&id=9bdd3d30a4&e=8136d2f83c>
How can you join in?

Spread the word. We need everyone in our community to know about the damaging effects this project could bring to our lives. Please direct them to our website and social media.

Donate <https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=2FD88GBQWVYXY>. We need resources to pay for the law firm we have hired, to pay for expert reports and to do outreach in the community

Share our posts on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/groups/394814232786747> and Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/friendsofthejocko/> so that we can reach more people.
 <https://friendsofthejocko.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8cddae8c9d71cb372eedee7a1&id=fc3b70a8f2&e=8136d2f83c>	 <https://friendsofthejocko.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8cddae8c9d71cb372eedee7a1&id=7cb48a92c9&e=8136d2f83c>
 <https://friendsofthejocko.org/>
Copyright (C) 2023 Friends of the Jocko. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Friends of the Jocko
PO Box 712
Arlee, MT 59821-0712

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