Scoping for the proposed Pebble mine ends June 29

You have until June 29 to provide input for what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ should include in its draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a decision-making document that is required as part of the permitting process for the proposed Pebble mine. The scoping period helps the Corps determine the scope of analysis, significant issues, and alternatives to be analyzed in the draft EIS.

The 90-day “scoping period” began on April 1, and included public meetings in seven Bristol Bay communities and one each in Homer and Anchorage. As of June 13, the Corps had received more than 9,100 comments, and has included an overview of concerns in its draft scoping report.

Scoping period extension?

Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell wants to broaden and extend the public debate, however. Cantwell’s office on May 31 sent a letter to the Corps asking the agency to consider holding public meetings in Washington state. She also suggested an expanded comment period to give fishermen and stakeholder businesses that operate in her state the opportunity to weigh in on potential impacts of the Pebble mine.

“Due to the importance of Bristol Bay fisheries to our economy, Washington fishermen, suppliers and businesses have an enormous interest in ensuring that Bristol Bay salmon continue to thrive for generations,” Cantwell wrote. “Washington state fishermen, sportsmen, and small business owners deserve to have a seat at the table as the Army Corps considers the proposed Pebble Mine…. The stakes are too high to leave out these important voices.”

The Corps initially planned for a 30-day scoping period. It extended that to 90 days after criticism that 30 days was not sufficient to provide adequate public input.

Read Sen. Cantwell’s press release.

How to comment

Visit our Scoping page to access links and information to help you formulate your thoughts and submit your comments.

What’s been said already?

The Corps’ Pebble Project EIS website includes all the public comments that have been submitted to date, along with a document library and other resources.

You can also read the 290-page draft scoping report, issued by the Corps on May 18, 2018. The Pebble Project EIS Preliminary Scoping Issues Report offers some insights to the Corps’ direction, and can help guide your public comments. Please note that there have been updates to the proposed Pebble project that are not reflected in this draft document.