by Dana Henricks, Florence
It’s not even Christmas 2025 yet. But you know what the greedy and powerful billionaires who own our country are buying themselves for Christmas in 2026?
Ryan Zinke.
If what the billionaire-funded Super PACs spent on putting Zinke in the US House of Representatives in 2024 is any indication (they raised $19 million in just the first quarter), they are likely very busy amassing a fortune to get him reelected in 2026. It will be Christmas morning come early for the obscenely rich billionaires if Zinke is reelected.
If you are a Republican voter, you may be thinking, “Yeah, but Zinke is a Republican. He’s our guy. So what if the billionaires help him get elected? In fact, good! Anything goes, just as long as it helps a Republican get elected.”
Okay. I understand why you might have that point of view. But how do you feel about having a toxic rare earth minerals mine at the headwaters of our beautiful Bitterroot River?
Contrary to what the US Critical Minerals spokesperson said at the commissioners’ meeting held at the fairgrounds Event Center, this will NOT be a small operation. He said it would be about three acres. Bull! According to their website, US Critical Materials owns seven square miles of mineral rights at Sheep Creek. That’s over 4,000 acres, not three acres. The Sheep Creek mine has the potential to turn our pristine river into a toxic sewer. How many of you moved to the Bitterroot Valley because you wanted to live near a Superfund site?
So please believe me when I say that if you want to have any kind of hope in hell of stopping the Sheep Creek Mine, then do not vote for Zinke.
Sure, Zinke said that he is strongly opposed to “fast-tracking its approval.” But did you notice that he did NOT say, “The Bitterroot River is precious and must be protected. I will make sure that mining is banned at the headwaters of the Bitterroot!”
The only reason Zinke said he was opposed to fast-tracking approval of the Sheep Creek mine was to suck up to Ravalli County voters before the 2026 midterm elections. He saw that over 500 of us showed up at that meeting in opposition to the mine and he got scared. He knew he had to say something. He knew he had to pretend to be on our side.
But if he gets reelected to the US House, will he do a damn thing to stop the Sheep Creek mine, when that mine, according to US Critical Minerals’ website, is the richest deposit of rare earth minerals in the United States and worth billions of dollars in pure profit? So will Ryan Zinke (who had to resign in disgrace in 2018 from his role as US Secretary of the Interior for making shady deals to enrich himself personally) stand with us and fight to stop the Sheep Creek mine, or will he side with the billionaires and stand by while the Bitterroot is destroyed? Care to make a bet?
Helen Sabin says
I stumbled on a DEQ site that shows a map of where critical minerals are found in great numbers and Montana has a small amount while North and south dakota have about double to triple the amount and the eastern seaboard states are LOADED with them. I WiLL LOOK For IT AGAIN and post it in a LTE. IF you want to STOP the mine – write to the FOREST SERVICE – as well as our congressional critters or go back into the Star paper to find the names and addresses or call the STAR office and ask them to share it with readers once again. We do NOT NEED another site here that will contaminate our river, land, people, animals, and wildlife who depends on the water of the Bitterroot. ENOUGH is ENOUGH!
Tracy says
Not even 2% of the citizens in Ravalli County we at the meeting. Though I am opposed to the mining I trust that my representatives opposition to the “fast track” is true however I also believe it is NOT going to stop anything. I also do not believe that they are on the take and I also do not believe any representative from the other side of the aisle would have any more success. Time will tell.
Larry Campbell says
Same goes for Steve Daines.
Our congressional delegation must all be wearing neck braces from whiplash, they changed direction so fast after opposing Fast Track but then supporting the mine.
Our congressional delegation has abandoned us. After all we can’t match the campaign money that the mining industry hands out after taking the ore free of charge. The Company plans to mine public resources for huge private profits and at a loss to the Bitterroot public of our ways of life and community health.
It’s going to take people power to stop the mine.