Open Pit Gold Mine Clears Step Regional Forester Upholds Crown Jewel Mine Approval

Environmental groups were studying their options - including filing more appeals - after a U.S. Forest Service official upheld a decision to approve a proposed open pit gold mine in Okanogan County.

U.S. Forest Service Deputy Regional Forester Richard Ferraro on Monday upheld Okanogan Forest Supervisor Sam Gehr’s decision to approve the Crown Jewel Mine project near Chesaw.

Okanogan Highland Alliance member Dave Kleigman said conservation groups were not surprised that the Forest Service upheld its own decision, and that the groups are considering more appeals against other permits being sought by the mining company.

“How can we allow a multinational mining company to devastate public land and water for free, even buy the land for $4 an acre, and we want to charge people $5 a night to park on public lands?” Kleigman said.

Gehr said the proposed mine “is the most thoroughly analyzed project this forest has ever produced, and the region’s affirmation will allow us to move forward with the project.”

Primary construction at the mine site 15 miles east of Oroville cannot start until the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management approve two operating plans. Approval of the plans is still several months off.