Among the agenda items were how to jointly combat violence in Bethel, the transfer of city land to Tribal ownership, and creating a pedestrian path between the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation.
Joaqlin EstusIndian Country Today The state of Alaska is sticking with its 2018 decision to issue a clean water certificate for a proposed gold mine in western
Despite Concerns About Dangerous Mercury Exposure, Alaska Commissioner Rubber-Stamps Donlin Gold Mine Certification Decision follows administrative law judge ruling that mine will result in violations of water quality standards; certificate should not have been issued
Contacts
Olivia Glasscock, Earthjustice, oglasscock@earthjustice.org, (907) 586-2751
Gloria Simeon, Culture Bearer, gsimeon@gci.net, (907) 545-4463 Bethel, AK
Today Commissioner Jason Brune of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) rejected an administrative law judge’s conclusion that the state s water quality certification for the Donlin Gold mine is unsupported, as there is no reasonable assurance that the mine would not violate water quality standards for mercury and other factors.
Credit Dean Swope / KYUK
On May 27, the commissioner for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) chose to uphold a key state water quality certificate for the proposed Donlin Gold mine. The decision comes after an administrative law judge recommended that the DEC should not uphold the certificate in April.
In August 2018, the DEC issued a certificate of reasonable assurance” to Donlin Gold that said that the state had reasonable assurance that the company s operations would comply with state water quality standards. The Army Corps of Engineers required the certificate before it issued its federal one. The Orutsararmiut Native Council challenged the certificate, and passed a resolution opposing the mine.