Resolution 18-046 Providing Scoping Comments on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Division Permit Application POA-2017-271 for the Proposed Pebble Project

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

RESOLUTION 18-046

 A  RESOLUTION   OF  THE   CITY  COUNCIL  OF   HOMER,  ALASKA, PROVIDING  SCOPING  COMMENTS ON THE  U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS  REGULATORY  DIVISION  PERMIT APPLICATION  POA-2017-271 FOR THE PROPOSED PEBBLE PROJECT
 

Aderhold

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 to perform work within waters of the United States for the proposed  Pebble Project, and identifies the permit application as POA-2017-271; and

WHEREAS,  the  Corps  has  determined  that  it  will  prepare  an  environmental  impact statement (EIS} to evaluate of the Department of the Army permit application; and

WHEREAS, the Corps is accepting public scoping comments from April 1 through June 29,  2018  and  held  scoping meetings  in  potentially  affected  communities,  including  Homer, during April 2018.
               

NOW,  THEREFORE,  BE  IT  RESOLVED  that the  City  Council  of Homer, Alaska, submits the following scoping comments on Corps  Regulatory Division  permit application  POA-2017-271 for the proposed Pebble Project and asks the Corps to consider them in preparation of its EIS.

•   Evaluate an  alternative port site to Amakdedori  Bay because  of the ecological sensitivity  of  the  proposed  site  and  the  effect  this  site could  have  on  the livelihoods of Homer area residents.
•  Evaluate alternative fuels and fuel sources for the mine powerplant that would alleviate  the  need  for  a subsea  pipeline  because  of the  potential  long  term consequences of subsea pipelines on the environment and the effect this could have on the future economy of the Homer area.
• Assess  the   potential  effects  of  fuel   usage   by  the   Pebble   Project  on   fuel availability for Homer and surrounding areas.
•  Analyze  the  ways  in  which  Homer  area  infrastructure  may  be used  during  construction  and  operation  of the  proposed  Pebble  Project. This  may include Homer's   port  and   harbor,  barge   basin,  other  vessel facilities  and   marine trades,  the  Homer  airport  and  air  services,  the  Sterling  Highway  and  other roads, and other infrastructure.
• Assess  vessel  traffic  in  Kachemak  Bay  and  lower  Cook  Inlet generated  from construction  and  operation  of the  Pebble  Project  and  the  potential  for  and effects of hazardous materials spills in these waters
•  Evaluate how the Pebble Project may affect fisheries in  Bristol Bay and  lower Cook  Inlet and  how effects to the fisheries  may affect the  Homer economy. Many Homer area residents rely on commercial and marine sport fisheries for their livelihoods, including in the waters of lower Cook Inlet  (inclusive of all bays and connected waters) and Bristol Bay; and fishing is an economic base for the City of Homer.
•  Assess how these businesses may be affected by construction and operation of a  port,  road,  and  ferry  across  Iliamna  Lake.  Air  based  tourism,  including activities such as bear viewing, remote fishing, and hunting, is a growing part of Homer's economy.
•  Evaluate employment factors on the southern  Kenai  Peninsula.  Employment factors include the potential for "local hire" during construction and operation of the Pebble Project and the question  of whether potential workers on the southern  Kenai  Peninsula  have  the skills  needed  for  employment  with  the Pebble   Project.  Additional  factors  include  the  possibility  that  non-local construction  workers  and  operations  employees  and  their  families  might moving to the southern Kenai Peninsula temporarily or permanently, and for move to the southern  Kenai  Peninsula  in  the  hopes of gaining employment associated  with  the  Pebble  Project temporarily  or  permanently.  Include  an analysis of secondary and induced employment affects not directly associated with the Pebble Project.
•  Analyze potential direct, indirect, and cumulative socio-economic effects of the Pebble  Project on the Homer area. How might a population change affect local wages,  local  businesses,  housing  costs,  the  costs  of  goods  and  services, potential for economic expansion, schools, community cohesion, the culture and  social fabric  of Homer,  and  other socio-economic factors? The  analysis should  take  into  account  many of the  current socio-economic issues facing Homer  such  as  affordability,  the  reasons  people  live  in  Homer  and  the southern    Kenai    Peninsula   currently,   addiction,    homelessness,   crime, population age structure, the number of second homes, and other factors.•    Evaluate full development scenarios for the Pebble Project and other mining  operations in the area and  how these scenarios  may directly, indirectly, and cumulatively  affect each  of the  above  issues for the  Homer area  and  lower Cook Inlet
• Assess  mine closure and  related  socio-economic changes to  Homer and  the southern  Kenai  Peninsula  that  could  occur  at  the  end  of the  construction phase, when the number of workers will decrease significantly, and  at mine closure.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this  ____  day of May, 2018

CITY OF HOMER

_______________________________
BRYAN ZAK, MAYOR

ATTEST:

_______________________________________
MELISSA JACOBSEN, MMC, CITY CLERK
 

Fiscal Note: N/A