Army Corps extends deadline to comment on IPOP project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has once more extended the deadline to comment on IPOP’s proposal to mine for gold with a cutterhead dredge at Bonanza Channel and Safety Sound. The new deadline is September 30. The new Army Corps project manager Tiffany Kwakwa said, “We extended the period by 15 days to allow additional time for the receipt of comments from remote areas.”

Bering Straits Native Corporation, Kawerak and NSEDC have opposed the project. The Bering Straits Native Corporation Board of Directors announced recently their opposition. “BSNC opposes having any permit issued to IPOP because it would destroy critical subsistence habitat,” a BSNC press release reads. Aside from the detrimental effects mining in the area could have, BSNC also objects to the manner in which management of IPOP has approached the community. “Community trust, engagement and dialogue in operating locations is critical to the short and long-term success of mining projects. IPOP LLC’s past actions and lack of interest in building community trust is very concerning. Transparency is imperative, and IPOP has not worked with local residents to communicate or address their concerns,” the press release stated. NSEDC issued comments expressing concern about the latest permit application by IPOP. NSEDC notes that the Alaska Department of Natural Resources land management policy for the Southwest Seward Peninsula Region indicates that Safety Sound and the surrounding areas were designated as habitat areas as opposed to mineral areas. While mineral development may be explored, the area plan also states that “mineral potential is considered to be low to moderate and the majority of high value concentrations occur in adjacent areas co-designated Minerals/Habitat.” Furthermore, NSEDC notes, “the latest application makes it clear that subsistence concerns continue to fall upon deaf ears as page 17 claims that ‘there is no official record of use of the area by subsistence or recreational users of the general project area.’ This is a statement with no factual basis. We have heard testimony from countless individuals indicating that this area is heavily used for subsistence activities.”

Comments may be submitted to Tiffany.D.Kwakwa@usace.army.mi l or to regpagemaster@usace.army.mil a nd should reference POA-201800123.