Northern Dynasty: Pebble Partnership calls on US Army Corps of Engineers Inspector General to weigh in on ‘allegations of political interference and regulatory malfeasance’
Northern Dynasty: Pebble Partnership calls on US Army Corps of Engineers Inspector General to
weigh in on ‘allegations of political interference and regulatory malfeasance’
August 13, 2020 Vancouver – Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern
Dynasty" or the "Company") reports that its 100% -owned US-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership
(“Pebble Partnership”) has written a letter to the Inspectors General ( “IG”) of the U.S. Army, the U.S.
Department of Defense and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”), joining the call for a review of the
USACE’s management of the Pebble Project Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”).
The Pebble Partnership’s call for an IG review echoes that of the US Congress House Committee on Oversight
and Reform, which issued a letter to the Inspector s General on August 10, 2020 ( see
https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/CBM%20Rouda%20Speier%20to%2
0DOD%20USACE%20IG%20re%20Pebble%20Mine.pdf), but for very different reasons.
“Environmental activists and o pponents of the Pebble Project have made baseless and unfounded claims
about political interference in the Pebble EIS process, and of regulatory malfeasance by the professional staff
of the USACE for months,” Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron Thiessen said. “But now we have a
Committee of US Congress repeating those allegations and asking that they be reviewed by an objective,
third-party arbiter.
“Not only do we welcome the kind of independent scrutiny and professional judgment an Inspector General
review would bring to the Pebble permitting process, we jumped at the opportunity to add our voice to those
in US Congress. I say ‘bring it on’ – we have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose.”
The Pebble Partnership released a statement to formally announce its support for an IG review of the USACE’s
conduct in managing the Pebble EIS:
“’The work of the USACE on Pebble has been under assault since day one and it is time for this
mischaracterization of their integrity to end. The best way to accomplish this is to have the USACE work on
the Pebble Project reviewed by the Inspector General. We are confident the IG will find the allegations raised
against the USACE to be completely baseless,’ said Pebble CEO Tom Collier.
“From the letter to the IG, the Pebble Partnership said it has responded consistently that:
• the Pebble EIS fully meets NEPA standards for scientific review of major development projects in the
United States – in terms of process, scope and level of detail;
• the duration of the USACE’s NEPA review of the Pebble Project falls within a typical range for EIS
processes undertaken for resource projects in Alaska and elsewhere in the U.S.;
• the permit application submitted to the USACE in December 2017 to initiate a federal NEPA review of
the Pebble Project was accepted in January 2018 because it met all statutory requirements;
• the USACE has fully and appropriately recorded, addressed and responded to comments and concerns
raised by cooperating agencies and stakeholders over the course of the Pebble EIS; and,
• EPA’s June 2019 action to withdraw its former Proposed Determination was undertaken to restore the
proper statutory process for the Pebble EIS, not to provide any political benefit to Alaska or Pebble.
“’We have been clear and consistent on these points for many months. Notwithstanding that these
allegations are without any merit, they continue to be made by project opponents and repeated by
Congressmen who have not taken the necessary time to conduct their own due diligence before they echo
false claims. We absolutely welcome an IG review in order to drive the final stake into these falsehoods,’
said Collier.
“’Am I a little fired up about this? You bet. The staff at the USACE are among the hardest working
regulators with the most integrity among the federal agencies and the misguided attacks upon their process
are completely unfounded.’
“A federal Record of Decision (“ROD”) for the Pebble Project is expected soon and while the Pebble
Partnership fully supports a comprehensive, expedited review of the USACE’s management of the Pebble EIS,
as well as into EPA’s decision to withdraw its former Proposed Determination, the company sees no reason
why this process should delay issuance of a ROD.
“’The Pebble Project has potential to become one of the most significant, long-life producers of copper and
other strategic metals required to facilitate America’s transition to a low-carbon future that our country has
ever seen. To the degree a review by the USACE Inspector General can help build public trust in our project
and the country’s statutory permitting processes, it will have struck a meaningful blow for America’s
mineral independence and efforts to build the green economy of the future,’ said Collier.
“The actual start of construction at Pebble is years away as the Pebble Partnership must still file for state
permits and complete the state permitting process.”
Link to Pebble Partnership letter to US Inspectors General: https://pebblepartnership.com/s/AUG-13-
2020-PLP-Collier-Letter-to-DOD-and-Army-IG_FINAL.pdf
Link to Pebble Partnership letter to House Committee on Oversight and Reform:
https://pebblepartnership.com/s/AUG-13-2020-LET-from-Collier-to-Oversight-Committee.pdf
About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's
principal asset, owned through 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 initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resource s.
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 po licies, (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, which
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 “alternatives 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 wil l 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