VANCOUVER, Oct. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Dynasty
Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE MKT: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the
"Company") announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alaska-based
Pebble Limited Partnership ("Pebble Partnership" or "PLP") and the
US Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") have filed a joint
Notice in federal court stating their intent to enter into
mediation in an effort to resolve ongoing litigation under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act ("FACA").
In September 2014, the Pebble
Partnership initiated an action in federal district court in
Alaska, alleging that EPA violated
FACA by its close interactions with, and the undue influence of,
Environmental Non-Government Organizations ("ENGOs") and anti-mine
activists in developing the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment, and
its unprecedented, pre-emptive regulatory action under Section
404(c) of the Clean Water Act. In November 2014, a federal court judge granted
PLP's request for a preliminary injunction in the FACA case,
prohibiting EPA from taking any further steps toward finalizing its
404(c) regulatory action, and signaling that PLP's case had a
likelihood of succeeding on its merits.
While discovery and other preparations for court proceedings in
the FACA litigation will continue, the joint Notice filed in
federal court indicates the willingness of both parties to work
toward a negotiated resolution to the current impasse.
"Northern Dynasty and EPA share a strong conviction that any
mine developed at Pebble must meet the highest environmental
standards, and protect the fisheries resources of southwest
Alaska, or it should not be
permitted," said Ron Thiessen,
President & CEO. "We are optimistic that a resolution can now
be found through mediation that will allow Pebble to propose a
development plan for the project, and advance into the federal and
state permitting process."
Selection of a mediator will be undertaken jointly by EPA and
the Pebble Partnership, with mediation talks expected to begin in
Washington DC this fall.
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.
Ronald W. Thiessen
President & CEO
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.
SOURCE Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.