The federal government has rejected an application for a hard rock mining lease from a company planning to mine copper near the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
by Eric Schwartz, The Chronicle

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Federal officials Wednesday rejected a mining company's request to lease part of the flanks of Mount St. Helens, saying the Colorado company's plans to mine copper and other minerals isn't in the public interest.
by Michael Milstein, Oregonian

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A controversial plan for a copper mine near Mount St. Helens was dealt a serious blow Wednesday when the federal Bureau of Land Management said it won't lease the land to the mining company after all.
by Warren Cornwall, Seattle Times

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The Bureau of Land Management has rejected a lease application from a Colorado-based company seeking to mine copper 12 miles northeast of the Mount St. Helens crater, just outside the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
by Kathie Durbin, Columbian

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Occasionally, though, one of the wretched assaults on the Northwest environment is defeated. That’s what happened on Wednesday afternoon when the Bureau of Land Management rejected a Colorado-based company’s request to mine copper about 12 miles from the Mount St. Helens crater. Kudos to officials at the BLM’s Portland office for, technically, choosing the “no-action” alternative, which effectively denied the application. And we’re glad to hear that General Moly, formerly Idaho General Mines Inc., will not appeal the decision or pursue lesser plans by applying for an exploration permit.
by Columbian Editorial

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The Gifford Pinchot Task Force could just as easily be named the Pinchot Forest’s Best Friend, or even pluralized to describe the 3,000-plus members of the nonprofit group. The work of the GPTF through the years has been based on solid science, intensely peer-reviewed reports and recommendations, and a consistent record of bridging gaps between environmental and business interests.
by Columbian Editorial

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A Portland nonprofit conservationist group released a report this week calling for forest thinning, road removal and off-road vehicle restriction in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Gifford Pinchot Task Force report lays out a 20-year plan called "Restoring Volcano Country."
by Dan Schreiber, Chronicle

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As a recent Columbian article mentioned, the rising price of gold, copper, uranium, and other metals has threatened to bring hard rock mining operations very close to the gates of some our most beloved national parks and monuments. Locally, a Colorado mining company is planning a 3,000-acre copper mine just outside the Mount St. Helens National Monument.
by MICHAEL O'CONNOR

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U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell announced Thursday she will oppose a Colorado company's plan to run a copper mine 12 miles north of Mount St. Helens, and she called for reform of an "antiquated" 136-year-old federal mining law she says fails to protect the environment.
by Stephanie Mathieu, Longview Daily News

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As part of its effort to boost commercial logging, the Bush administration Thursday proposed giving managers of the nation's 155 federal forests greater discretion in letting timber companies cut down more trees on the federally controlled land.
by Matthew Daly, Associated Press

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