American Rare Earths secures research institute to progress Halleck Creek project in Wyoming
The Halleck Creek project was named last year as one of the world’s top 10 rare earth projects.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, a long-time skeptic of the proposed Pebble mine project, is now pledging to take further congressional action, including the use of the federal appropriations process, to protect the ecologically sensitive Bristol Bay region.
Speaking virtually at the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) annual convention last week, Murkowski, who serves as chairwoman of both the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said she would use spending legislation to protect Bristol Bay, which is home to the world’s biggest salmon run and one of its largest commercial fisheries.
“I recognize the need for new economic development in Southwest Alaska, I think we all do,” she said in a speech before the AFN. “But I simply think this is the wrong mine in the wrong place.”
Murkowski previously submitted language in the fiscal 2020 Interior-Environment spending bill that directed the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the agency responsible for Pebble’s permitting process, to conduct a more rigorous environmental assessment of the project’s risks.
“I plan to build on my appropriations language from last year to make sure that the Bristol bay region remains protected,” Murkowski told AFN, making it clear that she opposes the project throughout the conference call.
Murkowski submitted language in the fiscal 2020 Interior-Environment spending bill that directed the USACE to conduct a more rigorous environmental assessment of the project’s risks
While the Republican Senator has questioned the Corps’ environmental review that began more than two years ago, she first issued a statement opposing the project receiving a permit on August 24. She was also joined that day by Senator Dan Sullivan, who also publicly expressed his opposition to the mine for the first time.
The agency had asked Northern Dynasty Minerals, the Canadian-based company behind Pebble, to submit a mitigation plan on how it would alleviate the project’s adverse environmental impacts. That report is due next month, which will set the stage for a permit decision.
Murkowski warned that although Pebble has been “stopped” for now, the project could still receive a permit for construction from the Corps.
The proposed copper, gold and molybdenum mine, along with Northern Dynasty, has come under scrutiny and political pressure over the recent weeks.
In September, an environmental group released secretly recorded tapes of company executives pushing for approval and making remarks about both Murkowski and Sullivan, leading to the resignation of Pebble Partnership chief Tom Collier soon after.
Comments
Brett Kuntze
if I plan the Pebble mine, I would use conveyor belt to move the ore miles out of the area to be crushed and processed all the way down at the shores of Cook Inlet.. We can use the tailings as earthen docks or piers to help promote tourism.. I will not build any ore hauling roads at the mine. it will be just a big hole with no tailings anywhere to be seen except really big rocks that has to be sorted before the conveyor belts. Conveyor belts is a proven technology very suitable for big daily volume of digging like 200,000 tons that Pebble is projected . it is much energy efficient than the drivers with the big shovels thrasing around on wide roads, etc.. I will not develop the lower ore grade body that is about 3’/4 of the planned perimeter of the mine.. I will only dig in the most rich deposits that is only one quarter the size of planned perimeter of the mine itself. it will be an underground mine none of any open pit stripping at all. There is more resources just around the Pebble mine and the same conveyor belts will still be used.. No driving and thrasing the creeks where salmons come up to lay eggs.. Conveyor belts is very environmentally efficient ! We are not using the converyor belts much elsewhere.. There is one mine in Colorado that opened in 1975 that is a deep underground mine with a tunnel leading to the other side (western( side of the contiental divide that used to move ore on a train .. Now it is conveyor belt that is 15 miles long all way to the crushing mills above ground on the other side.. it is very clean operated mine now..The converyor belt is covered to keep dust inside. Same thing can be used for the Pebble mine.. I am not sure whehter the Alaskan senators are knowledgable about different possible mining technologies that can be used instead of the exisitng planning that is now read by the Army of Engineers..waiting for the day of ROD.. I urge the Alaskan senators to find out more about the conveyor belt technology that will go a very long way to protect the environment and fish than the exisitng plan.. maybe CEO Theissan is not aware of converyor belt himself.. Lake Illamnia will not be harmed if at all, I think.. Everyone must be very afraid to talk to me…. They may be in self denial themselves/// We need copper to help fight climate change before it will surely destroy Bristol Bay through global warming.. Alaskans must still think that it will always be cold up there… We are already seeing signs of change up there.. Alaskans do not seem to be very bright people to me.. They know that they will never be held accountable at all. not very smart.