SANDPOINT — Exploratory drilling for silica on Green Mountain has been given the green light by the U.S. Forest Service.

Sandpoint District Ranger Erick Walker issued an approval of Pend Oreille Silica’s plan of operations, according to a May 15 decision memo.

Pend Oreille Silica proposes drilling two 200-foot exploratory holes into an uncharacterized deposit that may contain silica on the northeastern slope of Green Mountain. Green Mountain is located near the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille, northeast of Lakeview.

The relatively limited scope of the project exempts the need for an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment, Walker ruled. Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper had called on the Forest Service to draft an EIS for the project, but Walker concluded the project would not affect threatened and endangered species, nor would it impact wetlands, watersheds or roadless areas.

“The direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the project activities have been considered. This short-term use would no effect on long-term productivity of the site,” Walker concluded.

The exploratory work follows previous collection of surface samples and subsurface drilling. The site will be reached by open and closed Forest Service roads and includes the construction of 900 feet of new road, the decision memo states.

The drilling would occur with a 80-foot-long, 30-foot-wide drill pad, which will include a sump to capture drill cuttings and excess water. Water used during the drilling would be drawn from a private well and delivered to the site.

Approval of the drilling plan comes with a series of conditions requiring a hazardous material response, noxious weed and reclamation plans. All equipment on site must have functional fire tools at the ready, according to the decision memo.

“In addition, a reclamation bond will be calculated and must be posted with the Forest Service prior to implementation,” Walker said in the memo.

The drilling proposal comes as PacWest Silicon moves ahead with a plan to construct a silica smelter near Newport, although Forest Service officials said during a public meeting in February that there was no link between the two proposals.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.