The Montana Department of Environmental Quality granted an exploration drilling license near Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday.   Lucky Minerals requested the license to search within its privately-owned block in the Emigrant Mining District.  KTVQ.com reports the DEQ approved the license after reviewing the environmental impacts of Lucky Minerals’ proposed explorations.

This license will allow the corporation to begin exploring in their St. Julian mine claim block, about 12 miles southeast of Emigrant.  DEQ Director Tom Livers said they took a hard look at the comments received and the issues identified, and ultimately, the company has agreed to mitigations beyond what is required in the statute.  Those mitigations include water quality and wildlife monitoring plans and an alternate access route around the Chico Hot Springs Resort.  Additionally, DEQ added analysis of socioeconomic impacts and expanded noise, wildlife, and visual analysis.

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