Pebble mine developers to pay fine over water-use violation - Announce delay in permitting

The companies seeking to develop the massive Pebble mine prospect in Southwest Alaska have agreed to pay a $45,000 fine to the state for unauthorized use of water at their drilling sites. 

LINK (Via:The Anchorage Daily News)

During a recent public debate in Dillingham about the proposed mine, Pebble Partnership CEO John Shively announnced they would not be applying for permitting in 2010. Prior statements by mine management indicated that they would apply for permitting late in 2010.  Shively also stated that he is, "not convinced that they have a project that environmentally works."

Alaska Public Radio has a report on the debate. LINK

Comments

[KJC]

Pebble CEO: "not convinced ... we have a project that environmentally works." NO SHIT? Is it the fish? The geologic instability of the region? the water table which, is at the surface? Sarah Palin packed up her drawers and moved to Hollywood? Now it becomes how do we build it anyway...

[Will]

That's some rigorous monitoring and enforcement regime the DNR runs. $45k for repeated (intentional? knowing?) violations over a 3-year period.

[tspey]

On Jan 21st, 2010, the Pebble Partnership ‘decided’ to not apply for permits in 2010. This strange 'decision' is now crystal clear. This was a carefully planned pre-emptive fabrication to dilute the news that came out on February 12th about the State of Alaska’s decision to suspend Pebble’s permits for their water-use violations.

Clean water is the life-blood of the Bristol Bay region. The Pebble Partnership’s indifference to the region’s water resources and the State of Alaska’s permitting process is unacceptable.

Sadly, this whole story shows how diluted the State of Alaska's permitting process truly is. 45k is pesos for a global conglomerate like Anglo-American. Thank former gov's Frank Murkowski and Sarah Palin and their nicely lined pockets for DNR's anything goes permitting process.