A gold mine located near the headwaters of the Boise River is again the subject of legal action by environmental groups.
In 2012, the U.S. District Court of Idaho ruled that the Atlanta Gold Corporation violated the Clean Water Act by dumping high levels of arsenic and iron into a creek that feeds the Boise River. The company took over control of the historic mine in the 1990s, and was ordered to pay two million dollars and reduce pollutants.
But according to the Idaho Conservation League and Northwest Environmental Defense Center, the company continues to pollute the Boise River.
The lawsuit asks the court to hold the mining company in contempt of court for failing to follow the 2012 order. The groups allege Atlanta Gold has violated federal law almost 500 times in the last four years.
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