Donlin Gold Project Environmental Impact Statement Project Update

Transcription

1 Donlin Gold Project Environmental Impact Statement Project Update Keith Gordon, US Army Corps of Engineers Chuathbaluk Annual Tribal Meeting July 16,

2 Project Area Source: Donlin Gold, LLC Source: Donlin Gold, LLC 2

3 Pipeline Route 315-mile, 14-inch diameter buried steel pipeline from Beluga to power plant at mine site Source: Donlin Gold, LLC 3

4 Logistics & Supply Source: Donlin Gold, LLC 4

5 Overall Project Timeline Exploration and Studies 16 + years 5

6 Cooperating Agencies Lead Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bureau of Land Management Village of Crooked Creek (Tribal Government) State of Alaska Native Village of Napaimute (Tribal Government) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Native Village of Chuathbaluk (Tribal Safety Administration Government) assisted by Center for Science and Public Participation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Village of Aniak (Tribal Government) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Knik Tribe (Tribal Government) Akiak Native Community (Tribal Government) assisted by the Kuskokwim River Watershed Council 6

7 Snow Gulch Fresh Water Pond Lewis Pit Overburden Stockpile 3 1 Mine Site Layout Waste Rock Facility 2 Tailings Storage Facility Upper Contact Water Pond Area Ore Stockpile Platform ACMA Pit with Backfill Short-term Ore Stockpile Platform Lower Contact Water Pond Overburden Stockpile Source: Donlin Gold, LLC 7

8 Transportation Infrastructure Port facilities in Bethel New barge landing near Angyaruaq (Jungjuk) 30-mile road 5,000-foot airstrip 40 million gallon diesel storage at mine site 8

9 Public Comments Highlights Barge Traffic Subsistence Traditions Water quality, quantity, and flow Mercury Fish, Wildlife, and Birds People and Communities Health Impacts ~26 acres Simulation of Angyaruaq (Jungjuk) Barge Landing 9

10 Alternatives in the Donlin EIS NEPA requires review of reasonable range of alternatives. Scoping comments identified environmental issues. Design alternatives are developed based on potential to reduce impacts. The EIS compares the relative impacts of the various alternatives. 10

11 Alternatives Concepts No Action Donlin s Proposed Project Reduced Barging Alternatives Mine Site Alternatives Pipeline Route Alternatives 11

12 Birch Tree Crossing Alternative 12

13 Pipeline Route Alternatives 13

14 Rainbow Smelt Spawning Study May first ever study of smelt spawning on the Kuskokwim River Documented upriver travel and spawning area above Upper Kalskag Documented timing of spawning Useful for assessing potential impacts of proposed barging 14

15 Results Rainbow smelt travelled upriver about 30 miles per day from Bethel on May 18 to Kalskag on May 22 Spawning was concentrated about 3 miles above Upper Kalskag, but extended over 4 miles of river Eggs were deposited on gravel/cobble at depths of 5 to 13 feet on both sides of the river in current of 2 to 6 cubic feet per second 15

16 Kuskokwim Juvenile Salmon Investigation Sampled July and August 27 September 6 Objective: document juvenile salmon use of shallows in selected narrow parts of the river for rearing and migration Valuable for assessing potential impacts from barge propeller wash and wakes 16

17 At Work 17

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19 Results The July sampling captured over 14,500 fish in 250 seine hauls, however only 1 Chinook and 5 Coho salmon were captured Chinook and Coho were virtually absent from shallow mainstem habitats in both sampling periods Chinook and Coho were present at high densities in the tributaries (Holokuk and Aniak) during second sampling Sockeye and Coho slightly increase at greater depth Sockeye 3 times more abundant in tributaries 19

20 Aniak TEK Meeting - November 5-7, 2013 Presentations and Panels on data gaps in addressing subsistence in the EIS. 20

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22 Anchorage TEK Meeting 2 March 26-27, 2014 Dialogue Scientists and Elders compare notes on subsistence fish and wildlife 22

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24 2014 Donlin EIS Update Meetings Western Interior Regional Advisory Council February 26 Eastern Interior RAC March 7 Southcentral RAC March 11 Alaska Native Village CEO Association Conference, Anchorage April 1 Lower Kalskag June 18 Crooked Creek June 30, August 19 Georgetown July 19 Yupiit Nation Annual Meeting, Akiachak August 22 Kuskokwim River Watershed Council, Aniak September 26 Yukon Kuskokwim Regional Advisory Council, Bethel October 15 Southcentral RAC, Kenai October 16 Western Interior Regional Advisory Council, McGrath October 29 Crooked Creek November 17, 18 Stony River November 19 BIA Tribal Providers Conference December Alaska Forum for the Environment, February 12 Lower Kalskag June 9 Sleetmute June 29 Currently developing the schedule for future meetings in more villages. 24

25 Next Steps We are currently writing the Draft EIS. Yellow circles are major milestones for public involvement Public review of the Draft EIS will follow the release of the document in late Your chance to comment. Draft EIS Estimated: late

26 Website: 2 nd Newsletter 3 rd Newsletter in July 2014 Scoping Report 4 th Newsletter in March 2015 Draft EIS in late-2015 Learn More Contact: Keith Gordon, EIS Project Manager Keith.Q.Gordon@usace.army.mil Amanda Andraschko, Tribal Liaison Amanda.M.Andraschko@usace.army.mil 26