Newsletter August 2012 Reviewing Permits More than 100 permits would need to be approved by state and federal agencies before development of the project could begin. These permits consider multiple aspects of the project, including environmental and cultural considerations. Here are some examples of the state permits that will need to be reviewed and approved by different state departments including the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Plan of Operations (DNR) Reclamation and Bonding (DNR) Waste Management Permits and Bonding (DEC) Air Quality Permits (DEC) Fish Habitat and Fishway Permits (DNR) Cultural Resource Protection (DNR) Monitoring Plan (Surface, Groundwater, Wildlife) (DNR/DEC) Donlin Gold Submits Permit Applications After years of studying and planning a project in the Yukon Kuskokwim region, Donlin Gold has submitted permit applications. This initiates an extensive review process that is expected to take at least three years and will involve many tribal, local, state and federal agencies as well as other stakeholders. More than 100 permits would ultimately need to be approved before any construction or development of the proposed project can begin. An aerial view of the camp at Donlin s project site. The Permitting Process The application for permits will trigger the requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of the EIS is to help the agencies make informed decisions that consider the environmental consequences of the proposed project and the alternatives available. For the Donlin Gold project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be the lead federal agency, with cooperation from other federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bureau of Land Management. The State of Alaska Office of Project Management and Permitting will manage and coordinate the review by the various state agencies, such as the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Department of Natural Resources. Are Permits Ever Denied? Individual permits can be outright denied, or they may be issued with changes made to the project. Regulatory agencies sometimes request changes based on regulatory Continued Inside: Permit Applications
Face to Face with Stan Foo Public input is a very important part of our planning process, and we would like to hear from you. Send mail to: Donlin Gold 4720 Business Park Blvd., Suite G-25 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: (907) 273-0200 (888) 225-7590 toll free Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/DonlinGold For more project information visit us online at www.donlingold.com To voice concerns or complaints about the project contact us at complaint@donlingold.com or (855) 279-0382 At Donlin, we believe responsible development must be supported with a strong environmental baseline. As many of our readers know, we have been collecting environmental data and information from the project area and the region to support our project design and permit applications since 1996. After 16 years of environmental studies, data gathering and careful planning, I am glad to say we have reached a milestone in our project with the submittal of our major permit applications in late July. This submittal of our permitting documents marks the start of the state and federal permitting processes, which will include a public review process led by regulatory agencies. We expect it will take several years before a decision is finalized on the Donlin permits. All of us at Donlin are grateful to everyone in the region who has provided feedback to us and helped shape the design of this project with their insight and suggestions. We have taken your comments to heart and designed a project with your concerns about health and safety in mind. Healthy communities are, in part, dependant on the continuation of a subsistence way of life that can stand beside resource development and economic growth in the region. Responsible development at Donlin means minimizing the project s effects on the physical environment so subsistence and cultural heritage can continue to prosper, and positive economic impacts can be realized at a local level. It also means continuing to communicate and engage with you in your communities about our project. We hope you will continue to share your insights and provide your input about our proposed plans with the agencies as the permitting process progresses. Stan Foo General Manager Donlin Gold Timeline 16 Years of Exploration and Environmental Studies The proposed project is defined by Donlin Gold. Natural Gas Pipeline Studies are conducted. Feasibility Studies are conducted. Permitting Process - 3+ years Regional and Tribal Consultation with State and Federal Regulatory Agencies National Environmental Policy Act will require an Environmental Impact Statement. There will be opportunities for formal public comment during the permitting process. Agencies define the scope of the permitting process. The findings of permitting processes are drafted. The final permit findings are submitted. Construction Up to 3,000 jobs 3-4 Years Operation Up to 1,400 jobs 27+ years Continuing exploration Mine closure and reclamation Up to 22 jobs Ongoing Mine Site and Water Monitoring Up to 5 jobs Start Permit applications Permit Decision
Donlin Hosts Educators of the YK Region This summer Donlin Gold provided teachers from the Yukon Kuskokwim region a hands-on learning experience as part of the Alaska Process Industry Careers Consortium (APICC) externship program. The APICC program gives teachers of middle and high school grades the opportunity to work directly with employees of a company in the mining, construction or oil and gas industry for a week. Sarah Joslin, a science teacher at Aniak Jr./Sr. High School participated in the externship program at Donlin Gold. While staying at the project site, Joslin was able to visit each department and learn about what each employee does in their field. I feel like it was a worthwhile experience, Joslin said. I didn t realize the extent of the project and how long the mine is expected to last. Brian Rendall, who is an instructor for the Lower Kuskokwim School District s Career and Technology Education Department, also spent a week at the Donlin camp. In addition to his classroom work for the district, Rendall teaches drivers education and welding in eight different villages. During his externship at Donlin Gold, Rendall learned how some of the trades he is already skilled in could be used specifically at the Donlin Gold project. He can now take this knowledge back to the classroom and help his students prepare for potential future jobs at Donlin. These externships help educators gain a greater understanding of the industrial and business world, and how the academic concepts they teach are applied in the workplace. The program is also beneficial because it is local, showing educators what career opportunities could be available in their communities for students once they graduate. As a company that is committed to local hire, Donlin Gold s participation in this program is beneficial because educators in the YK region will have a better idea of how to prepare students for potential careers at the proposed project if it is approved for development. Also, by getting educators out in the field, like at the Donlin site, it can help provide them with firsthand knowledge of the science and engineering concepts they teach in the classroom, which can later be used in the actual workplace. Being able to show students how they can apply their knowledge in the career world can provide a more meaningful school education experience. Photos: Educators Sarah Joslin and Brian Rendall participate in camp projects to learn about potential work and educational opportunities for their students.
Students Participate in Hands-on Learning Expedition at Donlin Gold Field trips are always a fun learning experience for students, especially when they take you out of the classroom and to a place where you get to apply your knowledge while learning new things hands-on. This was the case for 10 Bethel students, who were able to participate in a threeday exploration camp at the Donlin Gold site this summer. Yuut Elitnaurviat, a job training and educational center located in Bethel, partnered with Donlin Gold to coordinate the expedition for the students and their chaperones. Donlin staff taught the students about their work fields and also provided them with activities to engage them in the process of running a camp and collecting environmental data. Donlin camp employee Wassile Gregory showed the students the mechanical, technical and safety components of running a shop. Safety is a top priority at Donlin Gold, and students learned about the systems employees use every day to keep the work environment safe. They also participated in a rescue drill that involved repelling down an incline and saving a dummy. Operations Manager, Bill Bieber helped students learn the complex process of mining for gold, and what types of equipment and infrastructure would be needed to actually operate a mine if it were built. One evening, the group tried a more traditional mining approach, gold panning, with Donlin camp employees Dwayne Hoffman and Mike Hetherington. Feedback from students on the trip was very positive. It was a great experience, said Bethel student Jericka Blevins, I enjoyed my time there with everyone. In a letter from Yuut Elitnaurviat, the career guide staff thanked the Donlin employees who involved the students during their visit. The honor and respect evidenced by management and staff for each other is exemplary. A huge expression of thanks goes to Donlin Gold, the letter said. Photos: Students from the YK region learn firsthand about the various jobs and activities at the Donlin Gold project site. Donlin is committed to hiring residents from the region and building a local workforce. By exposing students to the various working tasks at the project site, they can better prepare themselves with the skills and training to become part of the Donlin workforce team, if the project is approved for development. Donlin plans to continue working with various schools and organizations in the YK region to provide educational opportunities for students. Record Fundraising for Local Scholarship Program Donlin Gold is pleased to announce the Calista Heritage Foundation fundraised over $222,000 at its annual Gold Classic Tournament this year. Donlin Gold sponsored and participated in the event, donating $75,000 to the scholarship fund. These funds will help hundreds of scholarship recipients from the YK region. To learn more about the foundation visit calistaheritage.org
Permit Applications Continued from front cover expertise, technical knowledge and public input to a proposed project before final permit approval. Public Involvement During Permitting The public is included in the permitting process on multiple levels, including scoping where the public and agencies help identify issues and potential impacts of a proposed project as well as commenting on draft permits and other documents (such as the EIS). The lead permitting agency coordinates public involvement, and will provide a single point of contact for the public to reach and submit feedback to. Upon completion of the draft EIS, the agencies will make it available for public review and comment. Public comments on the draft EIS must be considered by the agencies and may result in changes to the EIS. What is Donlin Doing During Permitting? Donlin will be providing the agencies with additional information, as requested, throughout the permitting process, and will respond to proposed project changes if requested by permitting agencies on draft permits. Donlin will continue to collect ongoing environmental baseline data. Donlin will also continue visiting communities to share information. This will include the local workforce development program to help prepare residents for future jobs at the mine if it is approved for development. U.S. Senator Takes a Tour of Donlin Gold During a visit to the Yukon Kuskokwim region in July, Alaska U.S. Sen. Mark Begich made a stop at the Donlin Gold camp to take a tour of the proposed mine site. This was the first time the senator saw the site, and the tour provided him with the opportunity to speak with Donlin employees directly and learn about the proposed project firsthand. Donlin Gold Operations Manager, Bill Bieber, led the tour in addition to sharing information with the senator about Donlin s commitment to hiring a local workforce for the construction and operation of the mine if it is approved for development. Following the tour, the senator expressed his enthusiasm for the project. After seeing the operation firsthand, I believe Donlin is setting a national model for local hire and recruitment that will create jobs for the region for decades to come, Sen. Begich said. This is an exciting economic opportunity for Alaska. Donlin Gold thanks Sen. Begich and others for coming to learn about the project. Top Photo: U.S. Sen. Mark Begich touring camp with Operations Manager Bill Bieber. Bottom Photo: Donlin staff pose with Sen. Begich.
4720 Business Park Blvd., Suite G-25 Anchorage, AK 99503 (888) 225-7590 www.donlingold.com Prst Standard US Postage PAID Permit No. 69 Anchorage, AK Monthly Word Game Win A Prize! Join Donlin s word game by finding out how many times the Word of the Month was referenced in the newsletter. Each correct answer will be entered in a prize drawing. August Word of the Month: Permit Please submit your answer by September 30, by email at info@donlingold.com or mail it to the address listed on the back of this newsletter. YK Broadcasting Goes Digital with Help from Donlin Gold Donlin Gold was able to help fund the purchase of equipment for KYUK to begin broadcasting its televised programming on a digital signal. Originally, this switch was scheduled to happen in July, but failure of the station s analog transmitter pushed engineers to make an immediate change in May. Not only does the new digital signal provide viewers in Bethel with better picture quality, it also provides service for those who are unable to afford or choose not to subscribe to cable services. With the introduction of the digital signal, KYUK is now able to offer four programmed channels: 15.1 Alaska One public television 15.2 ARCS 15.3 360North 15.4 KYUK Bethel As a company that is committed to communicating with residents of the Yukon Kuskokwim region, Donlin Gold also provides underwriting support for local programs broadcasted on KYUK, which is owned by Bethel Broadcasting, Inc. This company is Alaska Native owned and operated, and provides public radio and television broadcasting to the Yukon Kuskokwim region. Like Donlin Gold on Facebook Donlin Gold now has a Facebook page where staff will be sharing photos and information about the project. You can find us on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/ DonlinGold Donlin Gold is committed to creating a safe and environmentally Responsible mining project that provides opportunities for families in the Yukon Kuskokwim region to live in healthy and prosperous communities