UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16
OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of OCTOBER, 2015
Commission File Number: 001-32210
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
15th Floor - 1040 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 4H8
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
[ ] Form 20-F [ x ] Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ]
SUBMITTED HEREWITH
Exhibits
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. |
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(Registrant) |
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Date: October 8, 2015 |
By: |
/s/ Ronald Thiessen |
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Ronald Thiessen |
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Title: |
President & CEO |
Former US Senator and Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
releases report on independent
investigation into EPA actions at Alaskas Pebble
Project
October 6, 2015, Vancouver, BC Northern Dynasty
Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE MKT: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company")
announces that former US Senator and Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen today
released the report of his investigation into the US Environmental Protection
Agencys (EPA) actions with respect to Alaskas Pebble Project, and the
agencys efforts to issue the first-ever pre-emptive veto in the 43-year
history of the Clean Water Act.
Entitled, Report of an Independent Review of the United
States Environmental Protection Agencys Actions in Connection With Its
Evaluation of Potential Mining In Alaskas Bristol Bay Watershed, the
report was commissioned by the Pebble Limited Partnership (Pebble Partnership
or PLP) and prepared by a team of independent investigators employed by The
Cohen Group and law firm DLA Piper over a period of approximately one year. The
Cohen investigation team reviewed thousands of EPA documents secured through
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and interviewed some 60
individuals involved with the EPA or its controversial review of the Pebble
Project.
Cohen states: The decision about whether to build a mine in
this area, as well as the process used to make such a decision, is very
important to Alaskas environment, economy, people, fish and wildlife. It
requires regulatory authority to be exercised in the fairest way possible. After
a very thorough review, I do not believe EPA used the fairest and most
appropriate process.
The Cohen report raises a series of concerns about
potential EPA misconduct, including: that EPA may have pre-determined the
outcome of its review before conducting the Bristol Bay Watershed
Assessment; and, that EPA officials may have had inappropriately close
relationships with environmental activists. Cohen urges US Congress and the
independent Office of the EPA Inspector General to use their respective subpoena
powers to look further into the myriad issues of EPA misconduct catalogued in
his report.
Cohen concludes by encouraging US lawmakers to consider taking
action to ensure that all major development projects in the US, including
Pebble, are evaluated through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
permitting process. As we look to the future, I urge policymakers to consider
requiring the use of the Permit/NEPA Process. This process, which entails
compliance with NEPA and other regulatory requirements, an environmental impact
statement (EIS), and input from the EPA, other relevant agencies, and the
State of Alaska, will supply the gaps in information which the BBWA left
outstanding. This decision is too important to be made with anything less than
the best and most comprehensive information available.
An Executive Summary of the 346-page Cohen report (with
attachments) can be viewed at http://files.cohengroup.net/Final/Final-Executive-Summary.pdf
. To access the complete report, visit http://files.cohengroup.net/Final/Final-Report-with-Appendices-compressed.pdf
.
In addition to the Cohen investigation, EPA actions at Pebble
are being scrutinized by the EPA Inspector General and several Congressional
committees. Last fall, a federal court judge in Alaska approved the Pebble
Partnerships motion for a Preliminary Injunction that forbids EPA from taking
any further steps to advance its proposed veto pending the outcome of litigation
alleging that the federal agency violated the Federal Advisory Committee
Act.
About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development
company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset is the
Pebble Project in southwest Alaska, USA, an initiative to develop one of the
world's most important mineral resources.
For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project,
please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynasty.com or contact
Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.
Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at
www.sec.gov.
Marchand Snyman
Chief Financial Officer
Forward Looking Information and other
Cautionary Factors
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation
activities and events or developments that the Company expects are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate
size, quality or commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project or of the
Company's future performance or the outcome of litigation. Assumptions used by
the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the
Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all
land use and other licenses, studies and development of the Pebble Project will
continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. The
likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number
of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and
legal objectives, including obtaining necessary mining and construction permits,
approvals, licenses and title on a timely basis and delays due to third party
opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource
exploration and exploitation, the final outcome of any litigation, completion of
pre-feasibility and final feasibility studies, preparation of all necessary
engineering for surface or underground mining and processing facilities as well
as receipt of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well
as funding mine construction. Such funding may not be available to the Company
on acceptable terms or on any terms at all. There is no known ore at the Pebble
Project and there is no assurance that the mineralization at the Pebble Project
will ever be classified as ore. The need for compliance with extensive
environmental and socio-economic rules and practices and the requirement for the
Company to obtain government permitting can cause a delay or even abandonment of
a mineral project. The Company is also subject to the specific risks inherent in
the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. For
more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home
jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
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