CDE looking goodthis from KINY radio news in Juneau, Alaska.
Plaintiffs in Kensington Minelegal action to drop all furtherchallenges
Coeur d'Alene Mine officials say theplaintiffs in the legal challengeover the Clean Water Act permits forthe Kensington Mine nearJuneau are giving uptheir legal challenge.
That decision comes in the wake of last week's U. S. Supreme Courtdecision upholding the tailingsdisposal permit for Lower SlateLake.
Company CEO Dennis Wheeler toldsupporters during an event thismorning and Murray Walsh on KJNO'sAction Line later that that is thecase.
Hesaid the counsel for the Sierra Cluband the Southeast AlaskaConservation Council told him thismorning that they would not opposethe dissolution of theinjunction. "I view thatas a positive sign," he said.
We contacted Mark Gnadt of theSoutheast Alaska ConservationCouncil or SEACC to confirm.
He says the Juneau legislativedelegation asked them not tochallenge the Supreme Court decisionby asking the court to revisit theruling.
Gnadt says they would not have donethat and don't plan to. He says thatwould not serve their interests atall.
He says Coeur wants to expedite thepermits in the Ninth Circuit Courtof Appeals and asked them not tochallenge that request.
When asked if they would continue topress the Environmental ProtectionAgency to revoke the Lower SlateLake permits in favor of an on-shorepaste tailings approach, Gnadt saidif the agency asks them they would say thepaste tailings approach is the bestoption.
He said the EPA is reviewing thedecision.
But Wheeler said on Action Line that thefederal agencies joined the Interior Department'sSolicitor General in taking theposition that the permitting for theproject had been complete andlawful.
Healso reminded listeners to theprogram that EPA did not veto theultimate permit that was issued sofrom his prospective the agencysupport is solid.
Coeur officials are saying the plannow is to start production atKensington in the third quarter of2010.