Kennecott Eagle Minerals announced Tuesday that their ambitions to build a 22 mile section of road from Eagle Project to Humboldt Mill will be abandoned. Kennecott met with federal officials including the Environmental Protection Agency to discuss the road’s potential impact to wetlands, waterways, and wildlife habitat.

When the idea of this road was first pitched to the public, several federal agencies responded with serious concerns. Many environmental groups and concerned citizens also did not agree that the road was the best option. The area proposed for the road is isolated and undeveloped.  Development in that area would lead to habitat loss, fragmentation, and sedimentation of the waterways.

Now, Kennecott says that in order to stay on their timeline, the proposed Woodland Road project will have to be scrapped. Instead, they will begin to re-evaluate their original idea as stated in their mining permit, which is to use County Road 550/510. Local officials and residents have responded negatively, citing safety concerns for citizens as the most important issue.

YDWP is pleased that, at least for now, the wild area slated for development is not under pressure. However, Kennecott has changed its plan many times and could possibly do so in the future. Time will tell what the ultimate outcome will be, but for now, we will continue to monitor their on the ground activity and keep everyone posted of changes. For those that support the use of alternatives to the Woodland Road, write to media sources about your opinion, such as the editor of the Mining Journal or TV-6 website. Also let the EPA know that you support their decisions.