Sitting at the mouth of the canyon, folks living in Gallatin Gateway say they have some gorgeous views, but for some, the view might be ruined by a gravel pit.
A passion project and a labor of love is how John Baden describes the Enterprise ranch he and his wife Ramona have called home since 1970.
“It was run-down, and I could afford to buy it, even though I was fresh out of school,” said Baden.
With his own background in environmental studies, Baden fixed up the ranch and turned it into what it is today, flourishing with spring-fed creeks, four trout ponds, and lush pastures.
“This place is just so pretty—if this mine doesn’t ruin it,” said Baden.
In June, folks like Baden received a notice in the mail announcing a 6 million cubic yard gravel pit coming to town off 191 across from Cottonwood Road.
“6 million yards, 40,000 dump trucks on what is already one of the most dangerous roads in Montana,” said Baden. “They are externalizing the cost.”
While folks like Baden say they will pay the cost.
“It’s going to put out plumes of smoke, dust, and a huge amount of noise,” said Baden.
Along with creeks and ponds, there is also a great amount of wildlife on the ranch.
“We have elk calving grounds, deer, and we’re trying to protect it,” said Baden.
He says the pit threatens every one of those things, including groundwater.
Carly Russell with the Department of Environmental Quality says they have not yet analyzed the environmental impacts of the proposed gravel pit.
“We make sure the application meets the requirements of the open-cut mining act and during that same time we also do an environmental analysis,” said Russell.
Folks like Baden say the proposed pit is being pushed without any prior public comment and the operator, TMC, has not earned a respectable reputation.
“It’s sort of a behind-the-curtain, in-the-dark type of deal and they didn’t announce it until the Gallatin Gateway school was over,” said Baden.
Russell says the DEQ is accepting public comment, but that won't necessarily stop the project.
“Unfortunately, as long as the application meets all the requirements, we have to approve the gravel pit,” said Russell.
Something Baden and his neighbors won’t be happy about.
