Western Watersheds Project News Release

For Immediate Release

Contacts:

Katie Fire, Western Watersheds: 208-429-1679
Jon Marvel, Western Watersheds: 208-788-2290
Todd Tucci,  Advocates For The West: 208-342-7024 ext.4

Western Watersheds Project Reaches Settlement With Barrick Goldstrike and Ellison Ranching And The Elko BLM Radically Reducing Livestock Grazing On Almost 500,000 Acres Of Public Land In Elko County, Nevada

Hailey, Idaho. Western Watersheds Project announced today that a settlement had been signed by all parties to WWP’s successful appeal of grazing authorizations on almost 500,000 acres of public land in Elko County, Nevada.

The Settlement signed March 20, 2006 by attorneys for WWP, Barrick Goldstrike, Ellison Ranching and the Bureau of Land Management is for 2006 only and requires a 75% reduction in livestock grazing on the Squaw Valley allotment and a 65% reduction in livestock grazing on the Spanish Ranch allotment.

The Settlement will result in the withdrawal of WWP’s motion to Judge James Heffernan to block all livestock grazing for 2006 on these allotments and binds the other parties not to appeal Judge Heffernan’s decision of March 1, 2006 that reversed a BLM grazing decision issued in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act.

“This is a great victory for wildlife and fish”, said Katie Fite, WWP’s Director of Biodiversity, “We view this as a positive sign that the world’s largest gold mining corporation is waking up to some of the negative impacts of livestock grazing on the public’s land.”

WWP attorney, Todd Tucci said:  “I am pleased to have this level of agreement after years of conflict.”