Federal Court Vacates Agency Approval of Idaho Phosphate Mine

The Bureau of Land Management violated federal environmental laws when it approved an open-pit phosphate mine in Idaho and the agency’s decision must be vacated, a federal court said.

The US District Court for the District of Idaho had ruled in January that the BLM violated the National Environmental Protection Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act when it issued a final environmental impact statement and 2019 record of decision for the Caldwell Canyon Mine Project. On June 2, the court agreed with the plaintiffs, including the Center for Biological Diversity, that the statement and record should be ...