UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16
OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of June 4, 2015
Commission File Number: 001-32210
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
15th Floor - 1040 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 4H8
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
[ x ] Form 20-F [ ] Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ]
SUBMITTED HEREWITH
Exhibits
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. |
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(Registrant) |
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Date: June 4, 2015 |
By: |
/s/Ronald W. Thiessen |
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Ronald W. Thiessen |
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Title: |
President & CEO |
NORTHERN DYNASTY: FEDERAL COURT REJECTS EPA MOTION TO DISMISS
PEBBLE FACA LAWSUIT
June 4, 2015 Vancouver, BC -- Northern Dynasty Minerals
Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE MKT: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") reports
that the Pebble Limited Partnership (Pebble Partnership) lawsuit alleging that
the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) in advancing its Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment
(BBWA) study and subsequent pre-emptive veto process under Section 404(c) of
the Clean Water Act will move forward.
In a federal court decision issued today, Judge H. Russel
Holland rejected an EPA motion to dismiss the Pebble Partnerships FACA case.
Judge Holland granted EPAs motion to dismiss claims that the federal agency
established two of three advisory committees, but allowed the case to proceed
regarding claims that EPA utilized these committees. With respect to claims
that EPA both established and utilized a third advisory committee, Judge
Holland denied EPAs arguments to dismiss.
This leaves in place a Preliminary Injunction granted in
November 2014 that forbids the federal agency from advancing any action under
CWA 404(c) affecting the Pebble Project until the FACA case runs its course.
The Pebble Partnership will now seek discovery to depose
federal employees and external third-parties, and otherwise develop additional
evidence regarding its allegations that EPA allowed anti-mine activists
inappropriate access and influence with respect to the BBWA and subsequent
404(c) process.
Todays ruling will help ensure that the truth about EPAs
actions at Pebble come to light, said Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron
Thiessen.
Weve already made a compelling case that the Bristol Bay
Watershed Assessment, which seeks to assess the environmental effects of a
hypothetical mine of EPAs creation, provides an insufficient scientific basis
for EPA decision-making. We believe the discovery phase and final resolution of
the FACA case will expose that EPA and its allies in the environmental community
worked together with a predetermined objective before the BBWA was complete to
deny the Pebble Project a full, fair and impartial permitting review. Thiessen
noted that the Pebble Partnerships FACA lawsuit is one of several initiatives
underway to check EPAs unprecedented pre-emptive veto action at Pebble. Federal
Court Judge Holland is also adjudicating a Pebble lawsuit alleging EPA is
illegally withholding documents in contravention of the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA).
In addition, the independent office of the EPA Inspector
General is undertaking a comprehensive review of EPA actions with respect to
Pebble. A parallel investigation led by former Senator and Secretary of Defense
William Cohen is also underway, commissioned by the Pebble Partnership.
Through one or several of these actions, we remain confident
that EPAs pre-emptive veto will ultimately be stopped, and the Pebble Project
will be afforded a comprehensive and objective permitting review under the Clean
Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act including the preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement, Thiessen said.
About the Pebble Project
The Pebble Project is an initiative of the Pebble Partnership
to responsibly develop a globally significant copper, gold and molybdenum
deposit in southwest Alaska into a modern, long-life mine, which will benefit
not only the owner, but the people, culture and industries of the State of
Alaska, as well as suppliers, consultants and industries in the Lower 48 United
States of America.
A 2013 study authored by IHS Global Insight, entitled The
Economic and Employment Contributions of a Conceptual Pebble Mine to the Alaska
and United States Economies found the Pebble Project has the potential to
support 15,000 American jobs and contribute more than $2.5 billion annually to
US GDP over decades of production. The IHS Global Insight study is available at
www.northerndynasty.com.
The Pebble Project is located 200 miles southwest of Anchorage
on state land designated for mineral exploration and development. It is situated
in a region of rolling tundra approximately 1,000 feet above sea-level, 65 miles
from tidewater on Cook Inlet and presents favourable conditions for successful
mine site and infrastructure development.
About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development
company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset is the
Pebble Project in southwest Alaska, USA, an advanced-stage initiative to develop
one of the world's most important mineral resources.
For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project,
please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynasty.com or contact
Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.
Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at
www.sec.gov.
Ronald W. Thiessen
President & CEO
Forward Looking Information and other
Cautionary Factors
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation
activities and events or developments that the Company expects are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate
size, quality or commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project or of the
Company's future performance or the outcome of litigation. Assumptions used by
the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the
Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all
land use and other licenses, studies and development of the Pebble Project will
continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. The
likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number
of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and
legal objectives, including obtaining necessary mining and construction permits,
approvals, licenses and title on a timely basis and delays due to third party
opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource
exploration and exploitation, the final outcome of any litigation, completion of
pre-feasibility and final feasibility studies, preparation of all necessary
engineering for underground workings and processing facilities as well as
receipt of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well as
funding mine construction. Such funding may not be available to the Company on
acceptable terms or on any terms at all. There is no known ore at the Pebble
Project and there is no assurance that the mineralization at the Pebble Project
will ever be classified as ore. The need for compliance with extensive
environmental and socio-economic rules and practices and the requirement for the
Company to obtain government permitting can cause a delay or even abandonment of
a mineral project. The Company is also subject to the specific risks inherent in
the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. For
more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home
jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
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