Montana Judge Issues Ruling Relating to Lucky Minerals’ Exploration License and Private Property Rights
For Immediate Release
NEWS RELEASE
Montana Judge Issues Ruling Relating to Lucky Minerals’ Exploration License and Private Property Rights.
Missoula, Montana - April 23, 2019 – Lucky Minerals Inc. (“Lucky” or the "Company") is considering its options regarding a court order for Vacatur of Exploration License at the Company’s
Emigrant Project in Southwestern Montana. Judge Brenda Gilbert, of Montana’s Sixth District Court, recently ruled against Lucky Mineral’s and Montana’s Attorney General Tim Fox’s requests that Montana’s District Court deny the Motion for Vacatur and uphold Lucky Mineral’s private property rights.
Judge Gilbert’s order was issued in response to the plaintiff, Park County Environmental Council’s (PCEC) motion filed in June 2018 asserting that strategic mineral exploration at the Emigrant Project would impact Montanan’s “right to a clean and healthful environment”.
It is the position of the Company that Judge Gilbert did not give adequate weight and consideration to the Attorney General’s assertion that PCEC’s constitutional challenge was fundamentally flawed, insofar as it was based on what Lucky believes to be a false presumption that MEPA (Montana Environmental Policy Act) is the only applicable law enacted to protect Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment. Furthermore, AG Fox’s brief called out PCEC’s failure to acknowledge “the significant and comprehensive range of environmental protection remedies” under the Metal Mine Reclamation Act (MMRA).
“Judge Gilbert’s ruling threatens private property rights not only of this project, but it also threatens the private property rights of farmers, ranchers and a wide range of other Montanans throughout the state,” said Robert Rosner, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Lucky Minerals, Inc. “Montana has worked hard to put in place protections that allow job creating projects like Emigrant to advance while preserving the safety and health of the community.”
The AG’s brief submitted to Judge Gilbert on the matter stated that, “the Legislature never intended MEPA to be the roadblock tool of environmental groups for indefinitely delaying – and ultimately shutting down – all resource development projects to which the environmental groups are philosophically opposed.”
“Lucky Minerals will likely appeal Judge Gilbert’s order and continue to fight for the private property rights which are the backbone of the Montana way of life” said Rosner. “The judge’s order appears to have overlooked the AG’s assertion that MEPA is not intended to be used by special interest groups to become a roadblock tool, rather it must be used for oversight.”
Montana Department of Environmental Quality extensively studied the exploration activities proposed for the Emigrant Project. The studies are documented in a comprehensive environmental assessment that resulted in the issuance of the Exploration License demonstrating that there were no significant impacts projected as a result of the proposed work.
“Based on Montana law, the comprehensive environmental assessment and the AG’s assertions,” said Rosner. “We believe we have a strong case to appeal this order.”
About the Lucky Minerals & Emigrant Project:
Lucky Minerals Inc. and its subsidiary, Lucky Minerals Montana (LMM) are managing licensed exploration activities of the Emigrant Project which is located on private property within the historic Emigrant Mining District in Southern Montana. LMM is committed to a transparent and collaborative public process in shaping the Emigrant Project to match the community’s culture and economic development needs. Lucky Minerals shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol LKY and through the OTCPK under the symbol LKMNF.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Robert Rosner”
Executive Vice President & CFO
Contact Information: For more information please contact Robert Rosner at 1-866-924-6484 or
email [email protected].
Further information regarding the Company can be found on SEDAR at www.SEDAR.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Lucky’s periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Lucky from time to time with securities regulatory authorities. We seek safe harbor.