Montana
Hecla says 'bad actor' lawsuit dismissed, coalition vows to keep fighting mine • Daily Montanan
With the dismissal of a “bad actor” lawsuit following the retirement of former CEO Phillips Baker Jr., mining company Hecla said it is ramping up exploration in the Cabinet Mountains area south of Libby.
But a coalition of Indian tribes and environmental groups said it will keep fighting to enforce Montana laws that prevent “irresponsible mining” and leave Montanans to pick up the tab.
Hecla describes itself as the largest silver mining company in the country and as owning “a number of exploration and pre-development projects in world-class silver and gold mining districts throughout North America.”
It acquired the Montanore project near Libby in 2016.
The coalition of Indian tribes and environmental groups had sued the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in 2021 alleging the state agency wasn’t enforcing the state’s “bad actor” provision in relation to Baker. That law bars corporations with outstanding obligations from embarking on new projects without paying old cleanup costs.
The groups alleged the DEQ shouldn’t let Hecla move ahead with “bad actor” Baker at the helm. Baker was one of the former leaders of Pegasus Gold Incorporated, which filed for bankruptcy in 1998 and left behind more than $80 million in reclamation and water treatment obligations, the groups alleged.
In May 2024, however, Hecla announced Baker had retired after nearly 23 years of service and was also stepping down from the board. It said the Board of Directors appointed Catherine “Cassie” Boggs, its board chairperson, as interim president and CEO.
In a statement, Boggs thanked Baker for his “valued contributions” to the “silver industry overall” and said a search for a permanent leader would start. She said mining would continue.
“Hecla’s day-to-day mining operations will carry on unabated with the talented and dedicated staff we have at all our operations and at our headquarters,” Boggs said in a statement. “Senior management and I will continue to support and guide our operations and personnel throughout this leadership transition.”
Baker could not be reached late Monday afternoon through a message via LinkedIn about the circumstances under which he retired. His profile page said he left Hecla in May and is in a “career transition.”
Filed by Earthjustice, the lawsuit hinged on Baker’s leadership at Hecla, however. On July 11, the tribes and conservation groups filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss their claim, but said they would continue to work to prevent “irresponsible mining.”
Earthjustice represents the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Fort Belknap Indian Community, Ksanka Elders Advisory Committee, Earthworks, Montana Environmental Information Center, Clark Fork Coalition, Rock Creek Alliance, Montana Conservation Voters, Montana Trout Unlimited, Save Our Cabinets, and Cabinet Resources Group in the “bad actor” litigation.
The coalition said Baker has “no continuing roles at Hecla, no continuing connections, and no continuing responsibilities.” The tribes and conservation groups also said Baker’s retirement would help ensure Montana’s environment is safeguarded “from the worst mining practices.”
“The Cabinet Mountains hold an important position in the relationship between the Ksanka (Kootenai), Salish, and Qlispe people, and all of creation, with the Ksanka holding a particularly special connection to the area,” said Vernon Finley, director of the Kootenai Culture Committee and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, in a statement.
“While this place is now safe from one bad actor, we stand firm in our resolve to protect our ancestral territory from mining that threatens our sacred places and landscapes. The lands, waters, and wildlife in the Cabinet Mountains are too precious to let our guard down.”
The groups had asked a Lewis and Clark County District judge to rule the DEQ had violated its enforcement obligations under the Metal Mine Reclamation Act and force the agency to enforce the “bad actor” provision against Hecla and Baker.
In their recent news release, the coalition said it had compelled DEQ to bring the initial enforcement action, but then brought its own after the DEQ “abruptly abandoned its enforcement effort.”
“Those of us who live or recreate in the Cabinet Mountains of northwestern Montana know how important it is to protect this special place from irresponsible mining executives,” said Mary Costello of the Rock Creek Alliance and Save Our Cabinets in a statement.
“We are relieved that Phillips Baker is no longer at the helm of Hecla Mining Company, but regret that Montana DEQ reversed direction and chose not to enforce the Bad Actor law.
“Regardless of what mining company or mining executive arrives next on the scene to push through an ill-conceived mining scheme, we will be ready to protect the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness and our clean water.”
The coalition said DEQ filed a “bad actor” enforcement action against Hecla and Baker in 2018, and a district court ruled that DEQ had jurisdiction. However, it said “DEQ announced it was dropping the case, citing the election of a new governor,” among other reasons; the Daily Montanan previously reported DEQ argued the case would take too much “time and money” to pursue.
In an email Monday, a spokesperson for the DEQ said the agency had no comment.
Last week, Hecla announced the Lewis and Clark County District Court had dismissed the lawsuit, as the coalition requested. It said the groups had wanted DEQ to deny exploration and mining permits to Hecla’s subsidiaries.
“With Mr. Baker’s recent retirement from the Company, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit,” Hecla said.
However, Hecla said the groups had made “bad actor” allegations “not based on (Baker’s) roles with Hecla, but because of his prior leadership positions” and defaults at Zortman-Landusky, Basin Creek and Beal Mountain mines.
“With the dismissal of the ‘bad actor’ lawsuit, the company is focused on advancing permitting of the Libby Exploration Project, a silver-copper project located 23 miles south of Libby, Lincoln County, Montana, (about 50 miles north of the company’s Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho),” Hecla said.
The news release from Hecla also said it owns other patented mining claims and “numerous unpatented mining claims at the project, and has submitted a plan for review to the U.S. Forest Service.
“The plan of operations, if approved, would allow for dewatering and rehabilitation of an existing 14,000’ adit (mine entrance), completion of 10,500’ of new underground development, and the commencement of exploration activities at the project,” Hecla said.
But the groups that filed the lawsuit said they will continue their work to protect “some of Montana’s most iconic species in the Cabinet Mountains,” including grizzly bears, wolverines, and bull trout, which the proposed Montanore Mine “gravely threatens.”
“Now that Phillips Baker is no longer at the helm of Hecla, Montanans can breathe just a bit easier knowing that a bad actor is not attempting to open another mine in Montana,” said Derf Johnson, deputy director of the Montana Environmental Information Center, in a statement.
“However, even without Baker, Hecla still intends to open a dangerous mine in Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, and we are not going to give up in assuring that the mine never proceeds.”
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A proposed high-voltage transmission project in far East El Paso is raising concerns among residents in the Montana Vista area, as developers work to determine a potential route that could impact private property.
The project, known as Pecos West, is being developed by Grid United and would create a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting El Paso to southeastern New Mexico.
According to the company, the goal is to link major parts of the U.S. electric grid, specifically the Western and Eastern interconnections, allowing electricity to move in both directions between regions. Developers say the project could strengthen energy reliability, expand access to power markets, and help prevent outages during extreme weather.
Grid United also describes Pecos West as a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment that could bring jobs, tax revenue, and long-term economic benefits to communities along the route.
However, for residents in Montana Vista, the immediate concern is not the long-term benefits, but what the project could mean for their land.
At a community meeting Saturday morning, several residents were able to voice their concern, telling KFOX14/CBS4 they feel they have not received enough information about the project’s path or timeline, especially as discussions about a preliminary route continue.
“We haven’t got anything from you,” said Armando Rodriguez, president of the Montana Vista Landowners. “Not one quote.”
Others echoed concerns about communication, calling on the company to directly notify homeowners who may be affected.
“You need to go to these houses, give people information, and say this could affect you,” one resident said.
Grid United says the project is still in the planning and development phase, and no final route has been approved.
The company says construction would only begin after securing regulatory approvals and negotiating land agreements with property owners.
Company representatives also emphasized that landowner participation is voluntary.
“Pecos does not have eminent domain,” said Alexis Marquez, community relations manager for the project. “If a landowner does not want it on their property, we would look at alternate routes.”
Developers say outreach will continue as planning progresses, but residents are asking for more direct communication now, especially those who believe they could be directly impacted.
The project is not expected to be completed anytime soon, with Grid United estimating that Pecos West could become operational in the mid-2030s if approved.
For now, the conversation in Montana Vista reflects a familiar tension seen in large infrastructure project, balancing long-term regional benefits with local concerns about transparency, property, and community impact.
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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Following widespread neighborhood concerns first reported by KTSM 9 News on Friday, residents of the Montana Vista area came face-to-face with developers of the proposed “Pecos West” transmission line project on Saturday morning, May 9 during a community meeting held at the Montana Vista Community Center.
The multi-million dollar project, spearheaded by power grid developer Grid United, aims to build a massive transmission line connecting the El Paso area to southeastern New Mexico.
While developers tout the project as a crucial link to prevent grid bottlenecks, families living in the path of the proposed line continue to voice mounting frustration and distrust over how the land acquisition is being handled.
On Friday, Grid United released a statement to KTSM insisting their one-on-one land negotiations were conducted out of respect for private property rights. But at Saturday’s community gathering, residents and advocates made it clear they aren’t buying it.
“People are afraid. I’m not afraid. I’m angry,” said Armando Rodriguez, president of the Union of Montana Vista Landowners, who previously said that developers had been quietly approaching his neighbors for months with varying buyout offers.
Only about a dozen residents and advocates attended the weekend meeting, but they loudly questioned why the company spent the past year approaching landowners individually rather than addressing the community as a whole.
During the exchange, project officials admitted they have already acquired about 50 percent of the properties in the impacted area. Grid United later clarified to KTSM that the exact number fluctuates frequently, just like the proposed route.
Community organizers argued that the company’s isolated approach leaves residents vulnerable and misinformed.
“When a company like this turns up and says, ‘We’re going to buy your property.’ We must ensure that community members understand that they have the right to say no, or that they have the right to negotiate a higher value,” said Veronica Carbajal, an organizer with the Sembrando Esperanza Coalition.
Carbajal highlighted that the lack of widespread notification and a standardized compensation formula is creating deep unease.
“They’ve already bought properties, but they have not established notification to every resident that will be impacted, nor have they set up a formula for compensation,” Carbajal said. “So what we can see online through the title transfers is that there is a very wide distinction between how much people are being paid. We don’t want the community to be divided. We also want people to understand that this is voluntary. They do not have to sell if they don’t want to.”
A major point of contention at Saturday’s meeting was the threat of eminent domain. Grid United explained that, as a private company, they do not possess eminent domain authority, insisting that if a landowner refuses to sell, the company will simply find an alternative route.
“At Pecos West we’re very landowner-first approach,” said Alexis Marquez, Pecos West community relations manager. “So if a landowner does not want (the transmission line) on the property, then we would find alternative routes.”
But Rodriguez remains highly skeptical that the developers would simply walk away from targeted plots.
“A corporation as big as you, a multi-million dollar corporation, I find it hard to believe that you would invest money into something this big and just walk away if the family said, ‘No, I don’t want to sell it,’” Rodriguez told officials during the meeting. “The question is: Are you really serious about what you’re saying here? Or is this just another dog and pony show?”
Project leaders conceded they need to adjust their efforts in engaging and informing the community, promising more meetings to come. However, residents emphasized that trust is currently broken and will only be rebuilt with concrete action.
El Paso County Commissioner Jackie Butler, who helped organize the meeting, said the County has no power to halt the proposed project, but she said she has been communicating with project officials and is trying to connect them with community advocacy organizations.
“I learned very quickly that the County does not have any authority or permitting process to stop these kinds of projects. And so that’s when I started connecting Pecos West to community members so that they could get directly involved,” Butler said. “My questions to Pecos West have been, Why do you have to come through our community? And even if you have to build through our region, you should go around it.”
Moving forward, the residents in attendance made it clear they do not intend to sell their property. They are demanding Grid United bring all impacted neighbors to the table as a collective before any more land is purchased.
If the project continues to move forward, construction is not expected to begin until the mid-2030s.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 8 drawing
09-14-18-20, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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