Alaska’s highest court ruled today against a citizens’ initiative to block mine development in Bristol Bay.
The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling that the initiative against the proposed Pebble Mine in unenforceable because it “seriously impedes” the regulatory process.
This is the latest development in ongoing litigations from the Pebble Partnership.
Alaska’s 9th Circuit Court decided in May that Pebble’s case against the EPA was too early and Mike Heatwole said the Pebble Partnership was waiting for their full day in court.
Heatwole: “The EPA is maintained that they have not taken final action of Pebble, all of us know where they’re going when it comes to preemptively stopping the project.”
The initiative passed by the Lake and Peninsula Borough voters in 2011 was found by the Supreme Court to impede implementation of state law giving Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources charge of matters affecting exploration, development and mining of state mineral resources.
The proposed Pebble mine project would be a massive gold and copper prospect, located on state land near the headwaters of Bristol Bay’s world famous salmon fishery.
