This web site has been provided by the Gallatin National Forest to disseminate information, reports and data for the New World Mining District Response and Restoration Project.  It includes such features as project status, schedule, description, background, contacts, and other general information. From this site you will be able to access project reports, documents, maps and key data sets.  All relevant reports prepared through the duration of this project will be posted to the site.

The New World Mining District (District), which includes a mixture of National Forest Service and private lands, is a historic metals mining district located in the general vicinity of Cooke City, Montana in the Beartooth Mountains. This historic mining district, which is centered about two miles east of the northeast gate to Yellowstone National Park, contains hard rock mining wastes and acid discharges that impact the environment. Human health and environmental issues are related to elevated levels of heavy metals present in mine waste piles, open pits, acidic water discharging from mine openings, and stream sediments.

On August 12, 1996, the United States signed a Settlement Agreement (Agreement) with Crown Butte Mining, Inc. (CBMI) to purchase CBMI’s interest in their District holdings. This transfer of property to the U.S. government effectively ended CBMI’s proposed mine development plans and provided $22.5 million to cleanup historic mining impacts to certain properties in the district. In June 1998, a Consent Decree (Decree) was signed by all interested parties and CBMI, and approved by the United States District Court, that finalized the terms of the Agreement and made available the funds that will be used for mine cleanup. As specified in the Decree, monies available for cleanup will be first spent on the "District Properties" which include all property or interests in property that CBMI relinquished to the United States. After the District Properties are cleaned up to the satisfaction of the United States, any remaining funds will be used to address other mining disturbances in the District.