Resolution 18-007 Requesting ACOE Conduct Pebble Mine Scoping Meetings in Homer

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

Aderhold

RESOLUTION 18-007

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, REQUESTING THAT THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REGULATORY DIVISION CONDUCT SCOPING MEETINGS IN HOMER, ALASKA, FOR THE PROPOSED PEBBLE MINE, PERMIT APPLICATION POA-2017-271, ALASKA, AND INCLUDE HOMER ON ITS LIST OF PUBLIC SCOPING LOCATIONS IN ITS NOTICE OF INTENT PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER.

WHEREAS, The Alaska District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Division (Corps) received an application from the Pebble Limited Partnership for the discharge of fill material into and perform work within waters of the United States for the proposed Pebble Mine, and has identified the permit application as POA-2017-271; and  

WHEREAS, The Corps has determined that an environmental impact statement (EIS) level of analysis will be required for the review of the Department of the Army permit application; and

WHEREAS, The Corps will conduct public scoping after publishing a Notice of Intent to develop an EIS in the federal register, and that the Notice of Intent will include a list of public scoping locations; and

WHEREAS, The Pebble Limited Partnership and its contractors used port, harbor, and barge services within the City of Homer during exploration work and preliminary investigations at the proposed Pebble Mine site, and it is therefore reasonable to foresee the Pebble Limited Partnership and its contractors using port, harbor, and barge services within the City of Homer during construction and operation of the Pebble Mine if the project receives permits from the Corps; and

WHEREAS, Materials required for mine site, transportation corridor, harbor, and power generation development related to the Pebble Mine may travel on the road system through Homer to access the harbor and deep water dock; and

WHEREAS, Homer based fishermen rely for their livelihoods on the waters of Cook Inlet where Pebble Limited Partnership proposes a dock, shipping activities, and subsea natural gas pipeline, and the waters of Bristol Bay which is downstream from the proposed Pebble Mine; and

WHEREAS, Small businesses based in and around Homer may benefit from the construction and operation of the Pebble Mine by providing services to the Pebble Limited Partnership and its contractors; and

WHEREAS, The construction and operational workforce at the Pebble Mine and their families may reside currently or choose to reside in the Homer area; and

WHEREAS, These and other issues that should be evaluated in the EIS for the Pebble Mine indicate Homer could be directly, indirectly, and cumulatively affected by the proposed project.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Homer, Alaska, requests that the Corps conduct scoping meetings in Homer, Alaska for the proposed Pebble Mine, permit application POA-2017-271, and include Homer on its list of public scoping locations in its Notice of Intent published in the federal register.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 22 day of January, 2018.                                                                             

CITY OF HOMER
 

BRYAN ZAK, MAYOR

ATTEST:

MELISSA JACOBSEN, MMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal note: NA