The midcoast town of Hope voted to ban industrial mining Tuesday night in an effort to prevent mining around nearby Crawford Pond, after previously placing a moratorium on the industry for six months.
It’s one of three towns that temporarily banned mining after Canadian company Exiro released plans early last year to mine for cobalt, nickel and copper near the pond that neighbors them. The moratoriums were meant to give Union, Warren and Hope time to plan permanent ordinance changes to prevent the mining.
The ban passed in Hope with overwhelming support at a town meeting Tuesday night, according to the town clerk.
Hope’s new zoning changes will prevent industrial mining in the town, but they won’t ban small residential mines, said Town Administrator Samantha Mank. The change is meant to be preventative, since Hope hasn’t received any formal proposals for mining. But it borders Warren and Union, which Exiro has approached about mining near Crawford Pond.
Union and Warren recently extended their moratoriums on mining while they work on more permanent changes. Warren’s mining advisory committee is working on reviewing its mining ordinance with the goal of having the public vote in June on any proposed changes, said Sherry Howard, Warren’s town manager. Union has tasked an attorney with looking at its zoning laws.
Exiro did not respond to a request for comment.
In Hope, the moratorium on mining had pointed to several reasons for a ban, including concerns over property values and the aesthetics of the town, along with preventing pollution that could damage the environment and affect the health and safety of town residents.
“The process of exploration and extraction of metallic minerals has the potential to be environmentally damaging to the Town’s water, groundwater, soil, and the general environment of the Town,” the moratorium read. “The potential for contaminating property and environmental damage exists with regard to these activities and needs to be properly regulated and located.”
The three towns have had help from a group called Citizens Against Residential Mining Activity, who provide legal counsel and advice for strengthening ordinances. The group was founded after Exiro approached Warren and Union, and Co-Founder Dave Stuart said the group is thrilled that Hope passed the ban on Tuesday night.
Stuart’s group is still working with Union and Warren on their more permanent changes and has offered assistance to other towns in the area.
“Some of these towns, even if they don’t have metallic mineral ore in their town, their towns can be used as processing locations, which is really detrimental to environmental integrity,” Stuart said.
There are a few other controversial proposals to mine for metals in Maine.
Canadian mining company Wolfden is looking to mine for metallic minerals in northern Penobscot County, and two Maine tribes and several conservation groups filed a petition in June to intervene.
In western Maine, a couple is trying to get Maine to clarify its mining laws to allow them to mine a lithium deposit they’ve found in Newry.
