A Bristol Bay Alaska Native organization
and several individuals filed a civil suit in
Anchorage Superior Court on July 29,
2009, asserting that the Alaska Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) repeatedly
violated the Alaska Constitution in
granting permits for Pebble mine exploration.
The Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum
project in southwest Alaska is being
developed by the Pebble Limited Partnership,
a 50:50 partnership between a wholly
owned U.S. subsidiary of Anglo American
and a wholly-owned entity of Northern
Dynasty Minerals. The partnership was
formed in July 2007 when Anglo American
agreed to acquire its interest in exchange
for a staged cash investment of $1.425 billion.
The project has generated ongoing
opposition from local groups and NGOs.
The lawsuit asserts that rich salmon,
wildlife, and subsistence resources in the
project area are being negatively impacted
by exploration activities and asks the
court to halt exploration until the case is
resolved. “DNR has neglected its legal
and moral obligation to protect Bristol
Bay’s subsistence resources,” said Bobby
Andrew, spokesperson for Nunamta
Aulukestai, a lead plaintiff. “Current
exploration is having a serious impact on
water and wildlife, yet the agency continues
to rubber stamp permits and ignore
the public interest.”
The plaintiffs have also asked the
court to void all exploration permits
already issued by DNR to the Pebble
Limited Partnership, Pebble East Corp.,
and Pebble West Corp.
As featured in Womp 2009 Vol 07 - www.womp-int.com
