Northern Dynasty: EPA expresses confidence in Pebble permitting; opts not to elevate approval decision Decision is positive news for southwest Alaska’s Pebble Project
Northern Dynasty: EPA expresses confidence in Pebble permitting; opts not to elevate approval decision
Decision is positive news for southwest Alaska’s Pebble Project
May 29, 2020 Vancouver – Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern
Dynasty" or the "Company") reports that the Company’s 100%-owned, US-based subsidiary Pebble Limited
Partnership (“Pebble Partnership”) issued the following statement on May 28, 2020.
A letter issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirming the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) process for the proposed Pebble mine currently being led by the US Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) is proceeding well, and effectively addressing all issues and concerns raised by EPA, the US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and other cooperating agencies, was hailed by Pebble Partnership CEO Tom Collier
as another positive step in the project’s permitting process.
Collier also noted the letter reflects the EPA’s decision not to pursue so-called 3(b) elevation under the Clean
Water Act Section 404(q) guidelines.
“This determination by the EPA is another indication of positive progress for the project. This is on the heels
of last of week’s announcement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) indicating their LEDPA
determination would be for Alternative 3 – the northern route. We also saw the positive Preliminary Final
Environmental Impact Statement earlier this year showing the project can be done responsibly and without
harm to the Bristol Bay fishery.
“The decision last year by EPA to withdraw the Obama administration’s pending veto (confirmed by a federal
court’s recent dismissal of the case brought by NRDC and others at tacking that withdrawal), gives us strong
reason to believe that EPA will not veto the USACE Record of Decision for the project. Today’s decision not to
file a 3b letter gives us more reason to believe that there will be no veto. This is consistent with our observation
that USACE and EPA, and the other cooperating agencies, have been working well together to resolve all
outstanding issues. The recent LEDPA announcement is further tangible evidence of that cooperation as we
understand other federal agencies preferred the northern transportation corridor alternative.
“Our core principle has always been for the project to be done in a way that does not harm the fishery or
water resources in Bristol Bay. The draft EIS showed this, the PFEIS shows this and we are confident the final
EIS will show this and demonstrate to Alaskans that this is an important project for the state’s future.
“The USACE continues to advance a rigorous and transparent review of all aspects and alternatives of our
project. It has involved cooperating agencies from the federal, state, local and tribal governments in its review
of the many technical issues facing the project. The permitting process for the project is reasonable and
objective. We have always said let science and technical information guide decisions about the project. The
EPA decision to not pursue a 3(b) elevation is in line with this notion.”
Background - In 1992, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the EPA entered into a memorandum of
agreement about how to implement Section 404(q) of the Clean Water Act including a process for evaluating
and elevating beyond the regional level specific individual permit cases that involve aquatic resources of
national importance. The EPA notified the USACE in July 2019 that un der section 3(a) it was determining
whether the issues at Pebble should be elevated within the agencies. Had the EPA wanted to pursue that
path, it would have taken action via section 3(b) and today was the deadline for a decision. The agency has
determined it will not elevate the issue. Instead, the traditional federal permitting process for the Pebble
Project will continue.
The USACE published the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pebble Project in February 2019
and undertook a 120-day public comment period to receive input from project stakeholders and government
agencies. The USACE has spent many months reviewing and responding to all comments and has indicated
their intent to publish a final EIS this summer. It is anticipate d that a Record of Decision (ROD) could be
published some 30 days after that.
About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern
Dynasty's principal asset, owned thro ugh its wholly owned Alaska -based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited
Partnership (“PLP”), is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including
the Pebble deposit. PLP is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initia tive to develop one of the world's most
important mineral resources.
For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at
www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-
800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at www.sec.gov.
Ronald W. Thiessen
President & CEO
US Media Contact:
Dan Gagnier
Gagnier Communications
(646) 569-5897
Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company
expects are forward -looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward -looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate
size, quality or commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, that the Pebble Project will secure all required government pe rmits, or
of the Company's future performance.
Assumptions used by NDM to develop forward-looking statements include the assumptions that (i) the Pebble Project will obtain all
required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses without undue delay, (ii) studies for the develo pment
of the Pebble Project will be positive, (iii) NDM will be able to establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, and (iv) NDM
will be able to secure the financing required to develop the Pebble Project. The likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Pr oject is
subject to a large number of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and legal objectives, including (i)
obtaining necessary mining and construction permits, licenses and approvals without undue delay, including without delay due to
third party opposition or changes in government policies, (ii) the completion of feasibility studies demonstrating the Pebble Project
mineral reserves that can be economically mined, (iii) completion of all necessary engineering for mining and processing faci lities,
and (iv) receipt by NDM of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well as funding mine construction, wh ich
financing may not be available to NDM on acceptable terms or on any terms at all. The Company is also subject to the specific risks
inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions, as well as risks relating to the uncertainties with
respect to the effects of COVID-19.
The National Environment Policy Act EIS process requires a comprehensive “al ternatives assessment” be undertaken to consider a
broad range of development alternatives, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associa ted
infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently being advanced. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various
development options and no final project design has been selected at this time.
For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.