The Pebble Mine Project: Process and Potential Impacts
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THE PEBBLE MINE PROJECT: PROCESS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS (116–39) HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION OCTOBER 23, 2019 Printed for the use of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ( Available online at: https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-transportation?path=/ browsecommittee/chamber/house/committee/transportation U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 41–942 PDF WASHINGTON : 2020 VerDate Aug 31 2005 16:41 Oct 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 P:\HEARINGS\116\WRE\10-23-~1\TRANSC~1\41942.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon, Chair ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, SAM GRAVES, Missouri District of Columbia DON YOUNG, Alaska EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas ERIC A. ‘‘RICK’’ CRAWFORD, Arkansas RICK LARSEN, Washington BOB GIBBS, Ohio GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky STEVE COHEN, Tennessee MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania JOHN GARAMENDI, California RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR., Georgia ROB WOODALL, Georgia ANDRE´ CARSON, Indiana JOHN KATKO, New York DINA TITUS, Nevada BRIAN BABIN, Texas SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana JARED HUFFMAN, California DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina JULIA BROWNLEY, California MIKE BOST, Illinois FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida RANDY K. WEBER, SR., Texas DONALD M. PAYNE, JR., New Jersey DOUG LAMALFA, California ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California BRUCE WESTERMAN, Arkansas MARK DESAULNIER, California LLOYD SMUCKER, Pennsylvania STACEY E. PLASKETT, Virgin Islands PAUL MITCHELL, Michigan STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts BRIAN J. MAST, Florida SALUD O. CARBAJAL, California, Vice Chair MIKE GALLAGHER, Wisconsin ANTHONY G. BROWN, Maryland GARY J. PALMER, Alabama ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey JENNIFFER GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N, GREG STANTON, Arizona Puerto Rico DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL, Florida TROY BALDERSON, Ohio LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas ROSS SPANO, Florida COLIN Z. ALLRED, Texas PETE STAUBER, Minnesota SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas CAROL D. MILLER, West Virginia ABBY FINKENAUER, Iowa GREG PENCE, Indiana JESU´ S G. ‘‘CHUY’’ GARCI´A, Illinois ANTONIO DELGADO, New York CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire ANGIE CRAIG, Minnesota HARLEY ROUDA, California VACANCY (II) VerDate Aug 31 2005 16:41 Oct 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\116\WRE\10-23-~1\TRANSC~1\41942.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California, Chair DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL, Florida, Vice BRUCE WESTERMAN, Arkansas Chair DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky JOHN GARAMENDI, California ROB WOODALL, Georgia JARED HUFFMAN, California BRIAN BABIN, Texas ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana SALUD O. CARBAJAL, California DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York MIKE BOST, Illinois LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas RANDY K. WEBER, SR., Texas ABBY FINKENAUER, Iowa DOUG LAMALFA, California ANTONIO DELGADO, New York BRIAN J. MAST, Florida CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire GARY J. PALMER, Alabama ANGIE CRAIG, Minnesota JENNIFFER GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N, HARLEY ROUDA, California Puerto Rico FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida SAM GRAVES, Missouri (Ex Officio) STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon (Ex Officio) (III) VerDate Aug 31 2005 16:41 Oct 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\116\WRE\10-23-~1\TRANSC~1\41942.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER VerDate Aug 31 2005 16:41 Oct 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\116\WRE\10-23-~1\TRANSC~1\41942.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER CONTENTS Page STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Hon. Grace F. Napolitano, a Representative in Congress from the State of California, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Envi- ronment: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 1 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 2 Hon. Bruce Westerman, a Representative in Congress from the State of Arkansas, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 2 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 4 Hon. Peter A. DeFazio, a Representative in Congress from the State of Or- egon, and Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 5 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 6 Hon. Don Young, a Representative in Congress from the State of Alaska: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 8 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 9 Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Representative in Congress from the State of Texas, prepared statement .............................................................................. 60 WITNESSES Dennis J. McLerran, Environmental Attorney, Cascadia Law Group: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 13 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 15 Tom Collier, Chief Executive Officer, Pebble Partnership: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 17 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 19 Richard K. Borden, Owner, Midgard Environmental Services LLC: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 29 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 31 Alannah Hurley, Executive Director, United Tribes of Bristol Bay: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 34 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 36 Brian Kraft, Owner, Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 41 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 42 Mark Niver, Bristol Bay Driftnet Permit Holder, FV Surrender: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 45 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 47 Anisa Kamadoli Costa, Chief Sustainability Officer, Tiffany & Co.: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 50 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 51 SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD Statement of Michael Jackson, Bristol Bay Driftnet Permit Holder, FV Kelly J, Submitted for the Record by Hon. Rick Larsen ............................................ 10 Article from Juneau Empire, Submitted for the Record by Hon. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ................................................................................................... 69 Article from Anchorage Daily News, Submitted for the Record by Hon. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ................................................................................................... 72 (V) VerDate Aug 31 2005 16:41 Oct 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\116\WRE\10-23-~1\TRANSC~1\41942.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER VI Page Letter of September 29, 2010, from Patrick Dorsey, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Tiffany & Co., Submitted for the Record by Hon. Bruce Westerman .................................................................................. 79 ‘‘EPA’s Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment: Obtainable Records Show EPA Followed Required Procedures Without Bias or Predetermination, but a Possible Misuse of Position Noted,’’ EPA Report No. 16–P–0082, January 13, 2016, Submitted for the Record by Hon. Peter A. DeFazio ........................ 95 ‘‘Report of an Independent Review of the United States Environmental Pro- tection Agency’s Actions in Connection With Its Evaluation of Potential Mining in Alaska’s Bristol Bay Watershed,’’ Executive Summary, The Cohen Group and DLA Piper LLP, October 6, 2015, Submitted for the Record by Hon. Bruce Westerman ...................................................................... 95 Supplemental Written Testimony Provided by Richard K. Borden, Owner, Midgard Environmental Services LLC ............................................................... 100 Chart and Email Provided by Alannah Hurley, Executive