HomeMy Public PortalAbout2022.05.12 Press Release IHESG 1
News Release
___________________________________________________________________________
[For Embargo until Thursday, May 12 - 8 PM MT]
Idaho Headwaters Economic Study Group
5/10/2022
Local Business Group Seeks Independent Economic Analysis
of Stibnite Gold Project Effects
McCall business coalition says elected leaders should commission comprehensive economic effects
analysis ahead of public comment period for federal Supplemental Environmental Impact Study linked to
Perpetua’s mine proposal
=================================
McCall Idaho – A group of local Valley County businesses has recently adopted a resolution seeking an
independent economic analysis of effects that may be associated with Perpetua Resource’s Stibnite Gold
Project proposal. Idaho Headwaters Economic Study Group (IHESG) appeared before McCall City
Council on May 12, requesting that they co-sign the resolution ahead of a request for Valley County
Commissioners to authorize funding for the study.
Representing nearly 50 local businesses, IHESG was formed to better understand new, potentially
significant socio-economic implications that may result from Perpetua’s mine request, if approved.
The analysis will be made available to the general public for consideration ahead of the comment period
associated with an upcoming Supplemental Environmental Impact Study, likely to be released by the
United States Forest Service (USFS) this fall. Last year, due to inadequacies in the original Draft
Environmental Impact Study (DEIS), the USFS determined that a Supplemental EIS would be required
before the “Stibnite Gold Project” could move forward.
Currently, the only analysis existing in the public record was paid for by Perpetua and exclusively
examined potential economic benefits of the mine, without considering how existing county-wide
economic drivers might be effected by the project.
Due to a lack of comprehensive economic analysis, a wide range of Valley County businesses are still
seeking to better understand the potential impacts of the mine on their business, their community, and
their way of life. These business leaders are now using their collective voice to ask reasonable questions
and bring their uniquely-qualified perspective as significant stakeholders to local decision-makers.
“IHESG was born out of increasing concerns many community business leaders have regarding the lack of
information on the Stibnite Gold Project’s real economic effects”, said Aaron Harvey, a member of the
IHESG Advisory Committee and owner of Forest Property Management in McCall. “We feel like our
elected officials are in a position to ask for answers to some of these questions so the business
community can evaluate the project once the real costs and benefits are studied. Any effects analysis
relevant to our business community needs to focus on the local economy, not on the state and/or
national economies as we saw in materials Perpetua submitted in the DEIS.”
2
Indeed, Perpetua’s own contractor, Highland Economics, acknowledged in materials submitted for the
DEIS that they “focused solely on the economic impacts supported by SGP spending during these phases
(and)……did not evaluate potential economic impacts due to possible effects of the SGP on other
economic activities, such as the recreation or tourism industry.”
Megan Minshall, IHESG Co-Chair said, “IHESG is simply asking for a transparent, independent analysis to
determine the real economic effects of this mine proposal on our local business community. We really
feel that Perpetua should be as eager to see this study as we are. High quality economic data is
imperative for sound decision-making. There are large, socio-economic questions surrounding this
project that, at a minimum, we think local business owners should get answers to before we’re asked to
support or oppose this proposal.”
IHESG Co-Chair, Chris Demo, indicated that the need to conduct this analysis is especially urgent now, as
the area is already trying to appropriately manage growth. “We are concerned that regional and city
officials are already struggling to assess the socio-economic implications of growth such as affordable
housing, living wages, unmitigated development, and health and safety concerns relating to vehicle
traffic. The immensity of these challenges is made even more significant when compounded with
unknown effects of this mine proposal.”
IHESG plans to continue bringing business co-signers onto the resolution and hopes to put forth the
document to Valley County Commissioners for consideration at the earliest available opportunity.
About IHESG:
The Idaho Headwaters Economic Study Group is a group of businesses that, using a collaborative,
consensus-based model, seek to better understand and assess the potential impacts of the Stibnite
Gold Project (SGP) proposal on the sustainability and greater good of our community, our way of life,
and our business climate. As stakeholders in everything that vibrant, durable local economies provide,
we are committed to asking reasonable questions and obtaining high-quality economic data to inform
the decisions we make about the future health of our communities and our individual and collective
businesses.
Media Contact:
Rick Fereday
aviator81t@gmail.com
208.634.8079