Remember how President Clinton "saved" Yellowstone from a
damaging gold mine, JUST before the election? The move made headlines & "greened" up Clinton's image with the voters.

This is saving our environment?

SELL-OFF OF PUBLIC LAND IMMINENT IN DEAL TO STOP PROPOSED MINE

In what could set a precedent for future mining claims, the Clinton administration is nearing completion of a deal with Crown Butte Mines, Inc. of Canada that could involve selling off new federal coal leases and thousands of acres of public forest land in order to pay for cancellation of the proposed New World Mine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

This is a bad deal for the environment and a bad deal for the American public - your calls, faxes, and letters are urgently needed!

Background

When Crown Butte announced its plans for gold mining in the ecologically sensitive land northeast of Yellowstone National Park , a coalition of alarmed citizen groups began pursuing avenues to stop the mine due to the serious potential for environmental damage. While their chances for success looked hopeful, the Clinton administration stepped in, with the aid of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, to broker a deal offering $65 million in federal assets to the company in exchange for the land and mining rights. With the environmental impacts of the proposed mine questionable from the beginning, President Clinton's desire to pay Crown Butte not to commit environmental harm may serve not only to legitimize the issue of regulatory takings, but also to undermine citizen efforts to stop the mine on legal grounds.

Although surplus federal forest and range lands in the West had been on the table from the beginning of the deal, the administration and its allies reportedly had in mind an exchange of less contentious properties, such as unwanted office buildings and idle military installations scattered in other parts of the country. Federal agencies were instructed to compile a surplus list by February 12, but had trouble designating properties that were both environmentally sound and valuable enough to satisfy all parties involved. Crown Butte extended the deadline to March 12.

Enter Montana Governor Marc Racicot and his "Montana Initiative." Racicot, along with Plum Creek Timber Co. and Wesco Resources, a regional coal company, have outlined their own plan for paying off Crown Butte with cash and assets from within Montana. Racicot's deal appears designed to offset the perceived economic losses that his state would suffer as a result of the mine not being developed.

The companies stand to profit from the transfer of federal timberlands and coal leases to their coffers. Under the terms of the initiative, Plum Creek proposes exchanging 11,000 acres of their land for 35,000 acres of federal timberland on the Lolo, Kootenai, and Flathead National Forests. To make up the difference, the company would also pay the government up to $20 million, which could then be paid to Crown Butte. Wesco's part of the deal, worth about $15 million, proposes a transfer of currently undeveloped federal coal tracts in southeastern Montana directly to Crown Butte. Wesco stands to profit from this onerous transfer because they would be able to build a new railroad through these coal fields, which have thus far remained undeveloped due to the federal government's unwillingness to open up new leases there. A coalition of Montana ranchers and farmers are also concerned about opening this area to coal development.

Here's what you can do:

President Clinton seems to be bending over backwards to appease business interests while appearing green in the public eye. Let him know that we see red when it comes to selling off land and resources in the public trust!

Contact the President and his coordinator on this issue - Ray Clarke at the Council on Environmental Quality - and let them know that you oppose any deal with Crown Butte that involves selling off our national forests or offering new mineral resources for development. And while you're at it, let Gov. Marc Racicot know what you think of his initiative to benefit timber and mining corporations!

While the President may be a powerful player, the success of the deal may ultimately rest with Congress. Congressional approval may be needed for several terms of the agreement, including changing national forest boundaries, changing the flow of federal royalties, and amending the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Please contact you Senators and Representatives and make them aware of your opposition to this deal.

PLEASE VOICE YOUR CONCERN ON THIS ISSUE! SEND YOUR CALLS AND LETTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

President Bill Clinton
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
Phone: 202/456-1111
Fax: 202/456-2461
Address: The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Ray Clarke
Phone: 202/395-5750
Fax: 202/395-3744
Address: Council on Environmental Quality
722 Jackson Place NW
Washington, D.C. 20503

Marc Racicot
Phone: 406/444-3111
Address: Governer's Office
State Capitol
Helena, MT 59620-0801

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Representatives_ (all phone numbers are FAX numbers)

Andrews 202-225-6513
randrews@hr.house.gov
Franks 202-225-9460
franksnj@hr.house.gov
Frelinghuysen 202-225-3186
njeleven@hr.house.gov
LoBiondo 202-225-3318
lobiondo@hr.house.gov
Menendez 202-226-0792
Payne 202-225-4160
Pallone 202-225-9665
Pappas 202-225-5782
Pascrell 202-225-5782
Rothman 202-225-5851
Roukema 202-225-9048
Saxton 202-225-0778
Smith 202-225-7768

Senators_

Lautenberg 202-224-9707
frank_lautenberg@lautenberg.senate.gov
Torricelli 202-224-8567
torricel@torricelli.com (I don't know how
often this is checked)

Call Congress Toll Free!

800-972-3524

Mailing Addresses...

The Honorable _______________
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable _______________
US Senate
Washington, DC 20510