Gold project developer Perpetua Resources has reached a settlement with the Nez Perce tribe, resolving a Clean Water Act (CWA) lawsuit brought by the tribe in 2019.
The lawsuit centred on alleged pollution discharges into the headwaters of the East Fork South Fork Salmon river from historic mining activities in the Stibnite mining site in central Idaho.
To settle the case, Perpetua has agreed to pay $5-million over four years, including $4-million of contributions to a South Fork Salmon Water Quality Fund that the tribe will use to support water quality improvement projects and $1-million of reimbursements for legal expenses.
The US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Forest Service will coordinate the water quality projects.
Perpetua and the tribe filed a settlement agreement on August 8 in the US District Court for the District of Idaho. Following the 45-day review period, the CWA lawsuit will be dismissed without prejudice pending Perpetua’s payment of the amounts called for under the agreement.