Alaska Department of Natural Resources Approves Key Donlin Mine Milestone…Again!

August 6, 2021

The old saying, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ certainly comes to mind when thinking about this week’s Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ decision.

For the second time in just over a year, DNR has, according to a story by Alaska Public Media, “…granted the land-use rights…for a proposed 315-mile long pipeline that would stretch from Cook Inlet to the proposed mine site about 12 miles north of Crooked Creek on the Kuskokwim River. The pipeline will supply natural gas to the mine to power its operations.”

Why did DNR have to issue the land-use rights a second time?  You guessed it, the eco-left had challenged the decision, using several area tribal organizations as surrogates for their work.

In appealing the original decision, the tribes (through their partner, environmental extremist organization Earthjustice) claimed the pipeline would “disastrously affect their land use and subsistence resources.”

That argument hardly can hold up to any level of scrutiny, as Alaskans only need to look east to the 800-plus-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, to see that traditional hunting, trapping, fishing, gathering and other subsistence activities co-exist just fine.

But, when anti-development zealots like Earthjustice are on the prowl, they’ll use any means necessary to delay resource development projects…even out-and-out lies.

So, DNR reviewed the potential impacts of the project, and issued its decision, which is sure to lead to gnashing of extremists’ teeth, and most likely, a lawsuit. Alaska’s bright energy future would dim if the eco-left had its way.  Thankfully, on this occasion, Power The Future can give kudos to DNR for getting its decision right…twice.