FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    	                 ENR
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1996                                     (202) 616-2771
							TDD (202) 514-1888
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
UNITED STATES TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT YELLOWSTONE

Agreement With Crown Butte Mines Stops Mining
Near Famous National Park
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In an innovative agreement that will help 
protect Yellowstone National Park from pollution, Crown Butte Mines 
has agreed to halt further development of the nearby New World Mine, 
the United States announced today. 

The agreement, announced by President Clinton, requires Crown 
Butte to turn over to the federal government all deeds and mining 
rights to the mine, located three miles from the park.  In turn, the 
United States will provide Crown Butte with federal property that the 
company finds acceptable.  The properties are yet to be determined and 
will be identified by an Administration task force starting within the next two weeks.

Associate Attorney General John Schmidt and Jim Pipken, Special Counsel 
to the Secretary of the Interior, were the lead negotiators - appointed by 
Vice President Gore at the direction of the President - charged with hammering out the deal.

"This settlement protects Yellowstone, our environment and the 
American taxpayer.  By entering into this agreement, we were able to avoid 
years of litigation that would have cost millions of dollars and put an 
immediate end to this threat to Yellowstone," said Associate Attorney 
General John Schmidt.  "This is an absolute win-win situation for 
American taxpayers and tourists."
The announcement was made today in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone 
National Park, located in Montana, in the park's northeast corner.  
The valley is home to the largest concentration of elk, bison, wolves, 
and grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, and is immediately downstream 
from the New World mining district.


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