Tags: Regulation/Legislation - Page 2

28

January 2022

EPA plans to issue a revised 404(c) Proposed Determination

On January 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its intent to issue a revised version of a Clean Water Act 404(c) Proposed Determination regarding the Pebble deposit. EPA notified Pebble developers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directly “to ensure there is ample opportunity for full consideration of available information to determine … Continued

19

November 2021

EPA extends decision-making deadline for Bristol Bay protections

General Post

More than ten years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began the process of assessing the Bristol Bay Watershed to determine whether it should implement protections for the region under its Clean Water Act 404(c) authority. Today the question of EPA protections is still unanswered – and will be for another six months. This … Continued

23

January 2021

Appeal of permit denial submitted by Pebble Partnership and the State of Alaska

General Post

The Pacific Ocean Division (POD) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received requests for appeal from the Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) and the State of Alaska, according to a spokesman from the POD. The appeal follows a November 2020 decision by the Corps’ Alaska District to deny PLP a major permit necessary to … Continued

17

November 2020

ESA process must conclude before Record of Decision on Pebble

General Post

Since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) published the Final EIS for the Pebble project in July, it has been working on all the items it needs to complete before issuing a Record of Decision on the project. That list is long and the process can be complex as the Corps works with the … Continued

25

July 2020

What you won’t see in the next EIS

General Post

As you read the final EIS for the Pebble project’s 20-year plan, keep in mind you’re reviewing one of the last EIS documents developed under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines in place since 1978. The Pebble project is expected to try and expand operations at some time in the future. Any EIS associated with … Continued

7

March 2020

NEPA guidelines may be changing; public comment closing soon

General Post

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), under which the proposed Pebble mine is being reviewed, may be different if and when developers seek to expand the project in the future. The project currently in permitting outlines a 20-year lifespan. If permitted, Northern Dynasty Minerals (NDM) has acknowledged the possibility of future expansion. Both NDM and … Continued

23

January 2020

Pebble permitting process extended by 90 days

General Post

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined last month that it would need to extend the permitting timeline for the Pebble project by 90 days. A Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is due in late June/early July, with a Record of Decision following in Fall 2020. In November and December 2019 the Corps held six … Continued

19

December 2019

Who Produced the Draft EIS?

General Post

Last month the Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) launched new advertising efforts to state its case that the federal permitting process is working as designed and that the Corps’ Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) “shows a clear path forward for permitting…” PLP’s full-page ad in the Anchorage Daily News, along with a 20-page direct mailer, also … Continued

6

August 2019

EPA in Bristol Bay: timeline

General Post

EPA’s decision last week to revoke a Proposed Determination with recommendations for restricting large-scale mining at the Pebble deposit in Bristol Bay follows nearly a decade of related actions.

5

August 2019

EPA withdraws Proposed Determination

General Post

In February 2014, the U.S. EPA released a Proposed Determination outlining restrictions it recommended for large-scale mining at the Pebble deposit area in Bristol Bay. It followed a multi-year study of Bristol Bay watersheds that EPA determined would be impacted by such development. The document was welcomed by those opposed to development of the Pebble … Continued