Pebble Copper and Gold Mine Developer Sued EPA Over Mine Veto

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Northern Dynasty Minerals- the developer of the Pebble copper and gold mine in southwest Alaska has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to overturn its veto of a development at Pebble.

The lawsuit, filed with Alaska’s federal district court, alleged that the veto issued by the EPA was in violation of federal statutes regarding statehood rights and a land exchange approved by the Congress. The interpretation of EPA’s jurisdiction, based on which the veto decision was made, has been overruled by the Supreme Court. Also, its geographic scope exceeds that allowed by the statute, the lawsuit said.

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According to Northern Dynasty, it has spent approximately $1 billion over the past two decades towards development of the project. This includes around $200 million spent on environmental studies alone.  The veto decision was made without taking into account the economic impact, it noted.

The EPA had prohibited discharge of mining waste into the Bristol Bay watershed in southwestern Alaska, which provides habitats for various species of fish, birds and mammals, in addition to its large mineral resources. According to the agency, the proposed mine is feared to destroy over 2,000 acres of wetlands.

Once completed, the proposed mine would be the largest copper, gold and molybdenum extraction site in entire North American region.