The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has accepted public comment on a draft environmental assessment for a shale-clay exploration project proposed by Ash Grove Cement.
DEQ received an amendment to Ash Grove’s Exploration License to extract a 10,000-tonne bulk sample of shale for chemical testing. The site is above Ash Grove’s existing Clark Gulch Quarry off Jackson Creek Road just west of Montana City in Jefferson County.
Additionally, Ash Grove would construct an approximately one-mile haul road to access the test pit area and would complete four drill holes in the area.
