NGOs warn Donlin mine spill could devastate region

A recent federal study reveals that a significant tailings spill at the proposed Donlin Gold mine in Alaska could lead to devastating consequences for the region. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Land Management released a court-ordered draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) on Wednesday, examining the potential impact of a failure that could release 27% of the mine's tailings capacity.

Previous studies had only considered a 0.5% spill, but the court deemed a larger spill a more probable scenario and mandated a new assessment. The SEIS warns that such a disaster could bury Crooked Creek in tailings, rendering the nearby village uninhabitable. Metal contamination in downstream waters could persist for over a century, and fish populations in the Kuskokwim River could remain lower for generations.

The village of Crooked Creek would likely be inundated within 90 minutes of a failure, leaving little time for emergency evacuation. The hydrology of the region would also be severely impacted, inundating thousands of acres, altering stream channels, and affecting drinking water sources for decades. Wildlife, particularly aquatic and riparian species, would face generational effects from habitat loss and contamination.

Communities would be exposed to contaminants, face potential evacuations, and suffer economic losses due to disrupted recreation activities and visual resources. Native Village of Eek vice president George Alexie expressed concern, stating that a disaster upstream would impact the entire region. The US Army Corps is currently accepting public comments on the draft SEIS until October 23, with public meetings and hearings scheduled in Alaska and online throughout October.

Following a 30-day review period, the agencies will prepare a formal public document documenting their decision on whether to modify, reaffirm, or rescind the permit for the Donlin gold mine.