Development of the Pebble Project is subject to a complex and rigorous regulatory review by state and federal agencies, the local borough, nearby communities and the people of Alaska. This review process is expected to begin in the next few years, after The Pebble Partnership submits its mine development proposal and applies for more than 60 state and federal permits that will be required to construct and operate the project.
The environmental baseline data that The Pebble Partnership is collecting to guide its project planning will also support the permitting process. These detailed multi-disciplinary studies are broad in scope, encompassing wetlands surveys and water-quality measurements, to name but a few. Ongoing work will result in one of the most comprehensive pre-production environmental databases ever produced in the state.
The Pebble permit applications will trigger an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An EIS is a government-mandated process to define the existing biological, social, and economic conditions in the project area and how these might be affected by development.
Alaska's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) coordinates the permitting of all large mines in the state, and works with other government and local agencies, and the citizens of Alaska, to ensure that projects are designed, operated and reclaimed in a manner consistent with the public interest. The State has authority over many important aspects of the mine proposal, such as issuing Water Rights Permits. DNR will review all of the technical information submitted by The Pebble Partnership and make sure it is made available for public review and comment.
In the case of the Pebble Project, the regulatory review process could take three years or more to complete. Only after receiving a positive result from this review will state and federal agencies grant the 67 permits required to build and operate the project. This lengthy timeline ensures that there will be plenty of opportunities for local residents and other project stakeholders to participate in the review and permitting process.
The regulatory requirements for large projects extend well beyond submitting an operating plan and providing information necessary for an EIS. The Pebble Partnership must also develop and submit reclamation and closure plans, along with an environmental monitoring plan for every phase of development through to post-closure. The company must also post a financial surety to ensure that sufficient funds are available to responsibly close and reclaim the mine at any stage of its development or operation.
Some of the agencies involved in the regulatory review and permitting process are listed below.
Federal Regulatory Agencies:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service
- U.S. Coast Guard
State Regulatory Agencies:
- Department of Natural Resources
- Department of Environmental Conservation
- Department of Fish and Game
- Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Local:
Click here for details of the main Permits/Approvals that are required before construction and operation of a large mine or resource project in Alaska.
Click here for a complete list of the 67 federal, state and local permits that will be required to construct and operate the Pebble Project.
