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Caribou Clean Water Partnership

New Rule Would Legalize Polluting Idaho's Groundwater

Dear Supporter,

Phosphate mines like this have been
polluting Idaho's groundwater for
decades. Now, the mining companies
want those protections relaxed.

Tell IDEQ NO!

Mining companies in southeast Idaho have operated for decades extracting phosphate for fertilizer and leaving huge tailings piles near their open-pit mines. Recent studies show that selenium, leaching from these tailing piles, is contaminating ground water in the Blackfoot and Salt River drainages on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The mining companies are dragging their feet on cleaning up the existing mines, but want to keep expanding their operations further into pristine lands.

Under pressure from the mining industry, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) is proposing loosening the rules on pollution in groundwater. IDEQ is taking public comment on these rule changes, which would allow for long-term contamination of Idaho's water quality by giving the mining companies exemptions for polluting.

Learn More and Take Action!
The IDEQ is required to accept and consider public input on these changes. Visit our website and learn about how these changes, if accepted, would allow the mining companies to continue to pollute Idaho's water, poison cutthroat trout, and kill wildlife and livestock which drink from streams connected to the groundwater.

Submit your comments to the IDEQ electronically right now.

(208) 522-7927

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