A public meeting will be held next Tuesday to inform the public on Coeur Alaska’s request to amend its plan of operations for the Kensington gold mine.
The event will take place in Juneau Oct. 8 from 5-8 p.m. at the Juneau Ranger District Station, 8510 Mendenhall Loop Road. Public comment is not typically taken at these types of meetings, according to U.S. Forest Service spokesperson, Dru Fenster.
The Tongass National Forest is hosting the meeting to provide information on a Plan of Operations Amendment to include 10 additional years of tailings and waste rock storage at the Kensington Gold Mine near Berners Bay, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service.
Public comments will be used to develop an Environmental Impact Statement regarding waste storage and additional gold mining, according to a release from the U.S. Forest Service.
“The scoping process allows the Forest Service and the public to collaborate in defining the range of issues and possible alternatives to be addressed, and is critical in making sure the forest is responsive to the needs and concerns of local communities,” the release said.
An open house will also be held in Haines on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Haines Public Library.
Public comment will be accepted from Sept. 23 to Nov. 7. Comments can be submitted in person at the open house, electronically, by fax or in writing.
Comments can be submitted electronically to https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55533, and by fax at (907)586-8808. Written comments can be submitted by mail or by hand to 8510 Mendenhall Loop Rd, Juneau AK 99801. Hand delivery can only be accepted during weekday business hours, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
• Contact reporter Peter Segall at 523-2228 or psegall@juneauempire.com.
