Garfield County hears Forest Service update as antimony exploration plans surface

The Garfield County Commission heard updates from the U.S. Forest Service about proposed antimony exploration and suspected unauthorized ground disturbance in the Antimony area.

A Forest Service representative told the commission the agency received a notice of intent from Utah Antimony Corp and has asked for a detailed plan of operations before permitting any work on Forest Service-managed lands. The representative said investigators had found what looked like a newly cut spur off a two-track road and that the agency is reviewing whether resource or cultural damage occurred. "We did have somebody go in and look like they used a half tracker bulldozer to dose off of one of our two track roads," the Forest Service representative said on the record.

The representative said the companies reported most work would occur on private patented claims and that state regulators — including the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining — oversee drilling and reclamation activities on those claims. The Forest Service said it has no authority to regulate activity on private patented claims but will require a formal notice and plan if applicants intend to use or disturb Forest Service roads or lands.

Commissioners pressed staff on potential environmental impacts. The Forest Service said some proposed spur locations cross riparian areas and that timing restrictions tied to endangered-species and wildlife surveys may apply. The representative noted the agency will perform cultural and wildlife surveys as part of its preliminary review and will coordinate changes to proposed routes as needed.

A commissioner said the exploration could create local jobs; one commissioner cited an estimate of about 150 positions associated with the project but did not provide a source for that figure.

Next steps: the Forest Service will continue its investigation, request full plans of operations from companies that file notices of intent, and update the commission if further authorization or routes are proposed.