08/19/2026
We have received and carefully read the statement issued by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe on August 18. We take it seriously, and we accept it as the position of a sovereign government.
The Tribe is right that treaty rights are not one factor among many. The Brunot Agreement is federal law. We will ensure our materials are clear on that matter going forward.
The La Plata Project is an early-stage mineral exploration project. There is no mine, no mine design, and no mine plan. What is currently before the U.S. Forest Service is a proposal for seven exploration drill sites, using municipal water hauled to site, located on existing roads or low impact temporary drill pads.
We have monitored water quality at twelve locations across the La Plata and Mancos watersheds since 2019 — before any drilling took place. Samples are analyzed by a Colorado and EPA certified laboratory, and results from our participatory monitoring program with the Mountain Studies Institute are publicly available. We would welcome the Tribe's environmental programs staff having direct access to that data, and a role in the monitoring program itself, on whatever terms the Tribe prefers.
We also want to be accurate about our own work. Any future processing at La Plata would be based on conventional flotation with no cyanide process contemplated at this project. Our vision, should exploration be successful, would be to design a model underground mining operation that minimizes surface and environmental impacts.
We support formal government-to-government consultation between the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the U.S. Forest Service on our current Plan of Operations, and we will support the Tribe's participation in any future federal environmental review in whatever role the Tribe chooses to seek.
Respecting the rights, sovereignty, cultural heritage, and knowledge of the Southern Ute Indian tribe and other regional tribes is key to informing how we strive to operate. We acknowledge that earning trust takes time and we seek to continue to listen and remain committed to understanding the environmental, cultural, and community considerations surrounding La Plata Project.
We continue to welcome the opportunity to meet whenever and in whatever format Southern Ute Indian Tribe leaders and members deem appropriate.
