The Pebble Project is a copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry deposit proposed to be developed by the Canadian mineral exploration and development company in the Bristol Bay Region in Alaska
Image: EPA scraps 2014 Proposed Determination on Pebble Project. Photo: courtesy of Moreau1/Wikipedia.org.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has withdrawn an earlier imposed preemptive veto on the Pebble Project, a copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry deposit proposed to be developed by the Canada-based Northern Dynasty Minerals in Alaska.
In this connection, the EPA has scrapped the 2014 Proposed Determination issued by the Obama Administration under section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) pertaining to the use of the Pebble Deposit Area located in Southwest Alaska as a disposal site related to the mining of the deposit.
The Pebble Project, which is located on state land in the Bristol Bay Region, about 11.2km northwest of Iliamna, is made up of a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims.
Earlier issued veto on Pebble Project pre-emptive and outdated, says EPA
Terming the earlier issued Proposed Determination as pre-emptive and outdated, the EPA said that, it can now continue to focus on carrying out its responsibilities under the CWA to work with the Army Corps to review the permit. It will also enable the agency to engage in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for an objective, scientific regulatory review.
EPA Region 10 administrator Chris Hladick said: “The agency has worked closely with the Army Corps to engage with stakeholders and the public on this issue, which has resulted in an expansive public record, including specific information about the proposed mining project that did not exist in 2014.”
The Pebble Project is 100% owned by Northern Dynasty Minerals, through its US subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership. The Canadian company’s subsidiary believes that the formal withdrawal of the 2014 Proposed Determination by the EPA is one of a series of major milestones that show that the Pebble Project is steadily moving ahead toward a positive Record of Decision.
Pebble Partnership CEO Tom Collier said: “Finally, this Administration has reversed the outrageous federal government overreach inflicted on the State of Alaska by the Obama Administration.
“This was an action and an Administration that sought to vastly expand EPA’s authority to regulate land use on state, private and Native-owned lands throughout the United States, and in doing so kill one of America’s most important mineral projects before a development plan was proposed or a comprehensive EIS permitting review was undertaken.”
The Pebble Project is estimated to involve nearly 2,000 Alaska jobs apart from generating revenues for the state government.