Kensington mine gets final permit

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski said June 29 that he had received a phone call from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, telling him that EPA was issuing the final permit needed for Coeur Alaska’s Kensington Gold Project north of Juneau.

“As I understand it, construction will start in July,” Murkowski told a press conference.

Murkowski said the ability of Coeur to get a green light from all federal and state agencies sent a “signal we can develop mines in Alaska,” noting that permitting work for the mine began 18 years ago. Since 1987, Coeur “has performed over 900 environmental studies at a cost of over $25 million,” the governor’s office said in a press release.

The governor commended two state Department of Natural Resources employees — Bill Jeffress, director of the Office of Project Management and Permitting, and Bob Loeffler, director of the Division of Mining, Land and Water — for their efforts on getting the mine permitted.

Construction of the mine and ancillary facilities is expected to provide 300 jobs during construction and 200 direct and 180 indirect jobs when the mine is in operation.

“Alaska is moving forward — and it is because of private companies willing to invest in Alaska, a state permit climate that is finally streamlined and efficient, and the cooperation of our state and federal permitting agencies,” Murkowski said.