Tue Jul 3, 2007
Idaho Business Review

The company that proposed the Idaho Cobalt Project mining venture near Salmon today said most official public comments to the U.S. Forest Service have been favorable. Canada-based Formation Capital Corp. said in a statement that the Forest Service received 175 official comments. Among them, 160 expressed support for the mine, nine expressed opposition and the rest provided information without indicating an opinion, according to the company.

Formation has spent more than eight years on the permitting process.

Of the 160 supporters, 90 specifically endorsed Formation's plan, five backed other mining alternatives that the Forest Service presented, and the rest did not specify preference of one mining plan over another, the company said.
Bill Scales, president of Formation Capital U.S., said several comments included solid recommendations to improve the company's plans.

The Forest Service expects to publish a final Environmental Impact Statement by mid-October in the Federal Register and concurrently issue a Record of Decision, pending the outcome of consultations with other federal environmental agencies, the company said. Afterward, the federal government will allow 45 days for appeals, and another 45 days for resolution of appeals.