Supporters and opponents of Pebble Mine are awaiting the release of the Army Corps of Engineer’s final environmental impact statement, due out later this year.
The draft statement came out last February, followed by a 90-day public comment period. Since then, the Corps has been reviewing and integrating those comments into its decision on whether or not the mine should be allowed to proceed.
Mark Hamilton, vice president of external affairs for the Pebble Limited Partnership, is optimistic the decision will fall in Pebble’s favor but not optimistic that the decision will put an end to protests over the mine.
“Well, I can tell you that Pebble is very, very confident that we will get a positive record of decision, and I can predict to you without any doubt that it will not stop any of the screams and the yells,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton spoke to a joint Kenai-Soldotna Chamber of Commerce meeting Wednesday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex and had some strong words about naysayers opposing the mine and opposing other resource development projects in Alaska.
“It’ll never stop. It cannot stop. People are making a fortune doing this. And it’s the simplest advertisement campaign in the world — picture of beauty, which in Alaska means spin around three times, point your camera and click. You’re going to find something drop-dead gorgeous. And then the narrative says this project, fill in the blank, will destroy this beauty unless you send me money,” he said.
Hamilton says the permitting process is meant to safeguard the environment and has the teeth to do so. He says the permitting process has not been rushed and that the project is not benefitting by having state or federal administrations that are friendly to resource development.
“You live in a world where your enemies can hurt you and your friends don’t dare help you. Nobody — put on your hats — nobody wants the ‘i’s dotted and the ‘t’s crossed any more than the person who puts in the permit,” he said.
Hamilton said the size of the mine and its operating lifespan have shrunk in response to concerns. The Pebble Partnership has also changed plans for a tailings pit and abandoned the idea of using cyanide.
“Reality — cyanide is used safely and responsibly by virtually every gold mining operation in the planet, to include those in Alaska, by the way. But we said, ‘OK, too many people somehow believing this cyanide will be the end of all, we just won’t use it,” he said.
Hamilton highlighted the benefits to the region that will come from economic investment, infrastructure and jobs. But he doesn’t expect any amount of good PR to derail attempts to halt the mine.
“It will have litigation, almost certainly. We cannot foresee anything in the world (that will stop litigation)… . I think they’ll all be dismissed as frivolous, but you get to file a frivolous lawsuit, you’re just allowed to do that, and they will,” he said.
The final EIS is expected to be issued this summer. Even then, if it allows Pebble to proceed, Hamilton says the process to get local permits and ramp-up to begin actual mining operations will take several years.
The draft EIS can be found at pebbleprojecteis.com.
