Excellon Resources Inc. reported that the Idaho Conservation League (ICL) and Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) filed a legal action in U.S. District Court challenging the recent U.S. Forest Service (USFS) approval of a plan of operations submitted by Excellon’s subsidiary, Excellon Idaho Gold Inc., concerning the Kilgore Gold exploration project in the Dubois Ranger District, Clark County, Idaho. The action follows the denial by the U.S. District Court of a motion filed by the ICL and GYC to reopen the 2018 proceeding against the USFS.
“The filing of this action was entirely expected and we are confident that the work performed by the USFS on the Environmental Assessment over the past two years will withstand the challenge in court,” Excellon President and CEO Brendan Cahill said. “The U.S. District Court recently rejected a motion by the ICL/GYC to reopen the 2018 proceeding and we are confident the court will reject ICL/GYC’s claims in this action.”
In response to the court’s previous decision in 2020, the USFS supplemented its analysis of water quality in the Dog Bone Ridge area and potential impacts on Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The company said a USFS biological evaluation determined the exploration project’s activities will have no impact on the Yellowstone cutthroat trout and its habitat. The USFS updated analyses of terrestrial, aquatic and plant species known or expected to occur within the project area during its Environmental Assessment.
Excellon Idaho Gold said it will file a motion to intervene as a defendant-intervenor to protect its interests in the matter.
