Utah regulators recently approved a lithium mining project dependent upon groundwater systems that serve sensitive wildlife habitat, recreation, and agricultural operations in Snake Valley. GBWN partnered with local agricultural producers, Living Rivers, and the Center for Biological Diversity to request an administrative appeal of the permit approval for Lithium Snake LLC. The permit allows the company to pump groundwater in the region to access lithium brines that are inherently apart of the regional groundwater system.
The project pumping poses grave concerns for a unique area in Snake Valley. The late-April approval targets the springs at Gandy, which gush with 10,000-20,000 year old waters that flow more than 1000 feet below the valley floor. Those waters mix with “shallower” aquifers and feed meadows that give life to Columbia Spotted Frogs, Least Chub, and avian species. Agricultural operations in the region collaborate with government agencies to ensure groundwater levels remain stable. Today, there is balance. Tomorrow, maybe not.
Like GBWN, the Bureau of Land Management and the Utah Division of Wildlife protested the permit, raising concerns about the project pumping harming aquifers, wildlife, and agriculture.
This project approval comes while GBWN, Living Rivers, and farm families continue to litigate over a lithium mine proposal on the Green River. That project was the first deep brine effort capriciously approved by the State Engineer. Snake Valley is the second. Regulators are not offering a clear standard for assessing brine projects in highly connected systems. We are fighting for clarity, fairness, and commonsense.
See GBWN’s filings and others here. And see photos of the springs and marshlands below.
