Methow Headwaters Campaign

Learn more about the Methow Headwaters Campaign on their website.

Overview: Methow Headwaters was a coalition of local residents, business owners, and organizations working to make federal lands in the upper watershed of the Methow Valley “off limits” to industrial-scale mining.

In April 2014, a Canadian Company — Blue River Resources — filed for permits to conduct exploratory drilling for copper on Flagg Mountain on U.S. Forest Service land, at the north end of the Methow Valley. Under the antiquated 1872 mining law, any citizen or private company can stake such claims, and the agency must entertain and evaluate such proposals. The Methow Valley — especially farther west near Harts Pass—has a long history of mining, and Flagg Mountain has been explored several times historically, but not since the 1970s by the Quintana Company. Exploratory drilling is the first step to developing a large-scale, likely open-pit mine in the upper Methow.

We successfully protected this area from the risks of industrial-scale mining and the threat this type of development poses to our water, wildlife and economy.  Public support was critical to the campaign’s success, as we worked to secure a “mineral withdrawal” for the federal lands that compose the headwaters of the Methow watershed. Learn more about the proposal that protected this beautiful green valley and clean waterways, what’s was at stake – www.methowheadwaters.org!

MVCC Involvement: MVCC played a leadership role in the Methow Headwaters campaign.  In particular, we supported the outstanding outreach to local businesses and organizations which was at the heart of the campaign’s success.

Latest News: Thanks to you, 340,079 acres of land in the Methow Headwaters are now protected from industrial-scale mining, forever! This is the story of a small mountain community coming together to achieve this remarkable success.