Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) and the Native Village of Eek today filed an appeal in the Alaska Supreme Court to review a lower court decision upholding 12 state water rights permits for the Donlin Gold Mine project.

State of Alaska agencies failed to fully consider harmful impacts of the massive gold mine when issuing water permits and a water quality certificate

The massive Donlin Gold Mine, if built, would pose grave risks to Kuskokwim River communities.

The Donlin Gold Mine could soon be built along the Kuskokwim River in Southwest Alaska, threatening a vital ecosystem and Native ways of life.

The massive proposed open-pit gold mine and its toxic chemicals threaten salmon, human health, and the Tribes’ traditional ways of life

Southwest Alaska Tribes sue in federal court to halt the Donlin Gold Mine

Alaska Native Tribes who live downstream from the proposed Donlin mine site are facing off against the existential threat the gold mine poses.

Tom Waldo, Attorney, Alaska Office, Earthjustice: “The mine, as proposed, would not comply with water quality standards for protection of salmon habitat, for temperature, and for mercury.”

A consortium of Tribal governments from the Kuskokwim region, represented by Earthjustice, are fighting Donlin Gold, a mining project owned by Canadian-based mining giants NovaGold and Barrick Gold. If it is constructed, the proposed Donlin Gold mine will be one of the world’s largest open-pit mines. Located 10 miles north of the village of Crooked…

Tom Waldo, Attorney, Alaska Office, Earthjustice: “The mine, as proposed, would not comply with water quality standards for protection of salmon habitat, for temperature, and for mercury.”

The Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council (ONC) filed a Notice of Appeal in Alaska Superior Court in Anchorage, challenging Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Jason Brune’s decision to uphold a water-quality permit.

Mine operations will cause mercury to spike to unsafe levels

Olivia Glasscock, Attorney, Alaska Office, Earthjustice: “There is no mine on Earth of this size or type that has ever succeeded in not contaminating surrounding waters, and Donlin will be no different. Earthjustice will continue to challenge this short-sighted plan, which would rob an entire region of a priceless river only to line the pockets…

Decision follows administrative law judge ruling that mine will result in violations of water quality standards; certificate should not have been issued

A commissioner from the Department of Environment and Conservation in Alaska rejected a ruling from an administrative law judge finding that a water quality certificate should not have been issued for the Donlin Gold mine.

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Tribes successfully challenge DNR’s approval for natural gas pipeline to fuel massive mining operation