During the 2011 legislative session I was moved to travel to Helena to testify against Senate Bill 306, which was designed to circumvent the will of the people of Montana. SB 306 would have allowed all the gold and silver ore mined in Montana to be processed with cyanide at the Sunlight Mine near Whitehall – the only mine operation grandfathered into the 2004 citizens’ initiative to stop that very practice. Initiative 148 to stop the cyanide heap leach method of processing ore was passed by 62% of the voters of Montana, including a whopping 67% of Ravalli County voters.
This resounding win for Montanans and for our environment was under attack in the last legislative session. During the committee hearing I attended, I was shocked to observe our commissioner Greg Chilcott, representing Ravalli County, testify that the continued use of cyanide in the processing of all of Montana’s gold and silver ore was a good idea. I wonder whom he was representing if not the 67% of Ravalli County voters who expressed the opposite view with their votes?
Vote for Dave Smith as our next County Commissioner. Dave Smith will stand up for Ravalli County voters’ wishes and not for special interests!
Pam Erickson
Hamilton