We are lucky to have a community of residents willing to keep an eye on the Canadian Dream Team that is Faraday Copper. The latest intel shows that Faraday wasted no time on proceeding with their “questionable” BLM approval in hand. While yes, they received BLM approval, we and many others ask the question…..How?
You see, back in 2022, Faraday submitted an application to BLM requesting to drill on 67 locations that are on public land. But when BLM didn’t move fast enough for the Faraday crew, that didn’t sit well with them. Even a call to BLM directly from a Faraday board member, proved to be futile.
So what could be done to show their investors they are actually doing something? Maybe break/bend some laws? Yep and here’s how. Faraday submitted a new application to BLM for authorization to drill… sort of.
From Faraday’s original application submitted to BLM for authorization to drill on 67 sites on public land, apparently Faraday selected some of them and then submitted a new application for 11 sites. Since the 11 sites do not disturb more than 5 acres, no Environmental Assessment or public input is necessary. Sounds kind of shady? Because it is… maybe even illegal.
43 CFR § 3809.21 states:
“You must not segment a project area by filing a series of notices for the purpose of avoiding filing a plan of operations.“
Faraday’s take is that these 11 drill pads are a “new” project, so they didn’t segment anything. Well here is proof that at least 2 of the 11 sites are not only part of the same project, they are the same sites in the original application. We are still working to get exact locations of the other 9 sites, but Faraday’s map in the news release is purposely ambiguous on location details.
Several images were provided by the watchdogs on a visit to the Galiuros on May 9th. We have taken those images along with the Google Maps images of Faraday’s original 67-site request and compared them. Left side of the image shows work as of May 9, 2024. The right side of the image shows the location they requested in the 2022 application. It’s like they think we wouldn’t notice.
Below “Pad 46”. Left: Current. Right: 2022 Application
Below “Pad 17”. Left: Current. Right: 2022 Application
Videos from the watchdogs’ trip below.
Pad 46 Aerial Below
Pad 17 Aerial Below
Pad 46 and Pad 17 Aerial Below
With BLM ignoring the law cited above, what’s to stop Faraday (or anyone) from submitting a series of smaller applications and drilling several dozens of sites on public land without an environmental assessment or a single public comment?
Thank you all for your support.
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