The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water “Division” has briefly extended the effective dates of two land use permit authorizations (Applications for Permits to Mine in Alaska # A20146118 and A20122788) under 11 AAC 96.040(c). These authorizations are associated with the continuing care, maintenance, and reclamation of exploration activities in the Bristol Bay Mining District, near the town of Iliamna. The mining related activity is located in Township 5 S, Range 36 W, Seward Meridian. The USGS 1:250,000 Quadrangle is Iliamna.

Pursuant to 11 AAC 96.040(c), “the permit may be extended for any number of consecutive periods, each period not to exceed one year.” The operator, Pebble Limited Partnership, has timely applied for a Multi-Year 2017-2018 Hardrock Exploration and Reclamation Permit for activities associated with the continuing care, maintenance, and reclamation of exploration activities, which combines the exploration operations previously authorized under both A20146118 and A20122788.

During the review of this new Multi-Year 2017-2018 application, the Department received many substantive comments on some complex issues. The Department previously extended the existing authorizations on December 23, 2016 until March 31, 2017. Today the Department has extended both existing permits to be effective until the Department issues a decision on the 2017-2018 application, in approximately one week. This brief extension of the existing permits allows the Department necessary time to finalize its permit decision, following a comprehensive review of the application and comments.

A copy of the correspondence letter outlining the brief extension from the Department to Pebble Limited Partnership can be found attached to this courtesy notice.

A copy of the original applications may be obtained from DNR by contacting Hollie Chalup by phone (907) 269-8647, by fax at 269-8949, by email at dnr.anc.mining@alaska.gov, or by mail to 550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 900B, Anchorage, AK 99501.  

This is a courtesy notice provided to the public.

DNR reserves the right to waive technical defects in this publication.