Midas Gold Idaho CEO Laurel Sayer
The US Forest Service (USFS) has extended the comment period on the Stibnite gold project draft environmental impact statement to October 28, providing interested parties 75 days in total to submit feedback.
The legal requirement is for a 45-day comment period and the USFS initially set down a 60-day comment period.
"Public involvement has always been an important tenet of the Stibnite gold project," said Midas Gold Idaho CEO Laurel Sayer.
"The public was integral to helping us develop Alternative 2 of the draft EIS and we believe public feedback is important in helping develop the final plan for the Stibnite gold project.
“The agency's decision to extend the comment period by an additional 15 days provides the public and other interested parties more time to participate and should ultimately support a robust record of decision. However, given the amount of public disclosure on the project over many years, it is also time to move to the next stage of finalising the EIS and selecting a preferred alternative."
If developed, Stibnite would be a $1-billion construction investment, providing 500 direct jobs.
Midas Gold is being sued by the Nez Perce Tribe, but the company contends that the water quality concerns stemmed from activities that occurred decades ago – before the company existed.