RENO, Nev. (AP) - A federal judge in Reno has ruled against environmentalists and tribal leaders who say the U.S. government is
breaking the law by failing to protect water resources from damage
caused by the biggest gold mine in Nevada.

Judge Larry Hicks ruled in favor of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corp. over the latest
challenge against Barrick's Cortez Hills' operations in Lander County.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier had sided with parts of a lawsuit filed by the Great Basin Resource Watch, the Western Shoshone Defense Project and others.

But Hicks said Thursday the BLM has corrected any errors in an earlier environmental assessment and now is in compliance with all
U.S. laws. A lawyer for the environmentalists says they're considering an appeal.

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