Mining News: News Nuggets: Cohen to review EPA fairness in AK

Former U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen March 24 said he and his firm, The Cohen Group, assisted by law firm DLA Piper, will conduct an independent review of whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acted fairly in connection with its evaluation of potential mining in the Bristol Bay watershed in Southwest Alaska. “An investigation being conducted by the EPA’s Office of Inspector General; inquiries and hearings into EPA actions by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; and, more recently, an inquiry by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, as well as documents produced in response to Freedom of Information Act requests, have each raised questions as to whether the EPA proceeded fairly in its activities surrounding potential mining in the Bristol Bay watershed,” said Cohen. The former secretary of defense has been retained by the Pebble Limited Partnership, owner of the Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum project located on state of Alaska mining claims in this area. Secretary Cohen said he will evaluate the fairness of EPA’s actions and decisions in this matter based upon a thorough assessment of the facts and informed by his experience as secretary of defense as well as his 24 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. “Our review will focus on the fairness of the EPA’s actions. We are not evaluating and will not express an opinion as to whether the Pebble Limited Partnership ultimately should be granted permission to mine the Pebble deposit. And, as was well documented during my years in public service, I have been a strong supporter of the EPA’s mandate to protect the environment and keep our nation’s waterways safe for human health as well as fish and wildlife,” Cohen explained. He said he has taken steps to ensure the review is thorough and unbiased. “A condition of accepting this assignment is that I have complete independence and discretion as to how this work will be conducted. I will follow the evidence wherever it might lead, and I will conduct this independent review as fairly and thoroughly as possible. Any conclusions that I draw from this review will be based upon the facts that I find and my judgment based on years of experience in government,” Secretary Cohen explained. “To ensure a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation, I welcome hearing from, and will be reaching out to, interested stakeholders, and I will carefully consider all points of view. I invite those who have information relating to the issues under review to meet with my team so that we might receive all relevant information for consideration.”

- Shane Lasley