Preserving America’s First National Park

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The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently provided a $500,000 grant to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) in support of its efforts to stop the building of the Yellowstone Boundary Gold Mine on Crevice Mountain in Montana. The GYC works with all people to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, now and for future generations.

For more than a decade, Crevice Mining Group, LLC, has made significant investments toward developing the gold mine on Crevice Mountain, immediately adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. The mine site overlooks and would be visible from nearly half the park. A mine on Crevice Mountain would permanently and irrevocably alter not only vital wildlife habitat north of Yellowstone but could severely impact the wild character, water quality, and aesthetic value of much of the park itself. 

Along the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, Crevice Mountain, and the surrounding landscape provide vital habitat for protected grizzly bears and a critical migration corridor for elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep. It is also one of the few designated places outside the park where Yellowstone bison can roam.

Gold mining threatens our pristine lands by creating new roads, clear-cutting trees, and scarring the landscape with heavy equipment traffic and other industrial activities.

As the owner of four ranches in the area, our chairman, Arthur M. Blank, has long been an advocate of conversation and preservation, especially in the Yellowstone and Paradise Valley areas.

To remove the threat of the mine, GYC entered into an agreement to purchase the mineral rights, leases, and claims to 1,368 acres of land from Crevice Mining Group, LLC, for $6.25 million. GYC is currently more than 75% of the way to its goal with nearly $4.7 million raised with the assistance of the foundations grants as well as other funders such as the Kendeda Fund.

GYC is closer to its goal. Interested funders are encouraged to visit GYC’s website to learn more information.

“We view this project as a true win-win,” said Fay Twersky, president of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “By supporting the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, along with many other environmental funders, we are protecting the mountain from a mining operation. This preserves the wildlife habitat and connectivity corridors from fragmentation, shielding the Yellowstone River from pollution associated with hard rock mining while providing a fair purchase price to Crevice Mining Group, the landowner.”

The foundation is proud to support GYC’s efforts to protect and preserve America’s first national park, ensuring a thriving future for its unparalleled wildlife ecosystem and geological wonders.