The Pebble Limited Partnership issued the following statement regarding a decision in Alaska Superior Court upholding the legal claims raised by PLP and the State of Alaska regarding the legality and constitutionality of the so-called Save Our Salmon Initiative from 2011.

The Pebble Partnership today announced that Pebble CEO John Shively will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Pebble Project—a move that allows Shively to be a part of the strategic leadership team for advancing the project. With this move, PLP will appoint Tom Collier to the position of CEO for the company.

PLP issued the following statement regarding the announcement by U.S. Senator Mark Begich that he has come out against the Pebble Project.

The Pebble Partnership is committed to working with the National Marine Fisheries Service and sharing information, including findings from our environmental studies in the area, as the agency assesses whether a listing of the Iliamna Lake Seal is warranted under the Endangered Species Act. We remain confident our project can proceed responsibly without affecting the habitat of the seal or its population.

In his letter, Shively criticizes the editorial team’s ignorance related to the economic, environmental, regulatory and human realities experienced in Alaska and the multiple unfounded claims contained within the story that show a lack of basic journalistic principles. To date, National Geographic has not responded to the request for corrective action. 

The Pebble Limited Partnership issued the following statement regarding the so-called “Bristol Bay Forever” initiative, certified today by the Lt. Governor for signature collection.

Calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft Bristol Bay watershed assessment inadequate, rushed and inaccurate, the Pebble Partnership Monday submitted comments and technical data to the EPA charging that the draft assessment is incomplete and fails on a scientific and a regulatory basis. Materials submitted by PLP, which include opinions and expertise from engineers, mining experts and international technical and environmental consulting firms, underscore the fundamental gaps in the process and omission of critical practices associated with 21st Century mining. Perhaps the most glaring issue is the hypothetical mine the EPA created on which to base its assessment – a mine that could not be permitted in the United States according to today’s rigorous regulatory standards.

Validating what has long been documented by the state of Alaska Economic Trends reports, southwest Alaska continues to struggle to maintain a stable economy due to a lack of year-round employment opportunities, one of the highest costs of living in the nation and seasonal local industries.

Results from the Pebble Environmental Baseline Document (EBD) socioeconomic studies in southwest Alaska verify downward economic trends previously reported by state agency groups throughout the past decade and recorded as part of Census studies from 1999 through 2009. The results from the five years of EBD studies confirm a general population decline in most areas, as well as a high cost of living and low year-round employment opportunities.

The Pebble Environmental Baseline Document (EBD), representing one of the most extensive environmental studies program ever conducted for a natural resource project in Alaska.

With nearly $2.5 million in grant monies distributed in Southwest Alaska throughout the past two years, The Pebble Fund continues its commitment to supporting sustainable development programs awarding eight projects funding for the fall 2010 distribution cycle.

The Pebble Limited Partnership released the following statement regarding the state’s lawsuit defending the permitting process for responsible natural resource development.

Alaska Growth Capital has selected five recipients as the initial winners of the newly established Bristol Bay Marketplace Competition. Developed in tandem by the Pebble Limited Partnership and the Pebble Fund, each of which contributed $250,000 to the program, the contest is designed to foster small business development in the Bristol Bay region. The competition, available to all Bristol Bay residents, encourages area entrepreneurs to compete for funding to develop, maintain or expand locally owned and locally based businesses.

Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth issued a 154-page decision in Nunamta Aulukestai v. State, finding that the State did not violate Article VIII of the Alaska Constitution in issuing temporary, revocable land and water use permits for mineral exploration at the Pebble Project. The plaintiffs, a group of eight Bristol Bay village corporations and several individuals, filed suit in July of 2009, alleging that the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) permit issuance amounted to a disposal of interest in state lands that required public notice and preparation of a written best interest finding before the permits could be issued.

The Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) issued the following statement regarding Monday’s court decision in favor of the State of Alaska in the Nunamata Aulukestai vs. State of Alaska, a case in which PLP intervened and was a participant throughout the litigation.

For 2011, the Pebble Limited Partnership work plan will focus on advancing a Prefeasibility Study (PFS) for the Pebble deposit. The company expects to complete its PFS in 2012, which will lay the groundwork to present a detailed project design for developing the mineral resource at the Pebble deposit.

The Pebble Partnership’s commitment to supporting the development of sustainable communities in Southwest Alaska continues with the Spring Pebble Fund grant cycle. Applications for the Spring grant cycle, which are due Feb. 28, 2011, by 9 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, are currently being accepted by the Alaska Community Foundation.

Local Anchorage teen James Barber has combined his passion for soccer with a community project designed to help him achieve Eagle Scout. Recently dedicated Anglo American Field is one of eight fields at the new Kincaid Park soccer complex to receive informational kiosks built by Barber.

Working in rural Alaska provides a unique set of ever-changing challenges. Weather, remote locations, minimal communication options and a lack of set transportation corridors in a harsh landscape make safety a constant concern. Wildlife, specifically a healthy bear population, make working in Southwest Alaska particularly dangerous in the area’s rugged terrain.

Remote terrain and dramatic weather patterns in Alaska can be a perilous combination, often changing quickly to create dangerous situations for those exposed to the elements. Response speed, coupled with safety, is critical and can mean the difference between life and death when responding to an emergency. Several times each year, the Pebble Partnership’s emergency training and safety expertise is accessed by state and federal agencies, and in some cases residents, to assist with various situations in the region such as rescues and medical emergencies.