BOISE, Idaho, July 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Perpetua Resources
Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA) (Perpetua
Resources) today announced that the United States Forest Service
(USFS) is advancing Perpetua Resources' modified proposed action in
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and updated
the permitting schedule for the Stibnite Gold Project (the
Project).
The Project is designed to use responsible mining to develop a
world-class gold mine, restore an abandoned mine site, provide
the United States with the only
domestic source of the critical mineral antimony and contribute to
the economic success of Idaho.
Perpetua Resources' modified proposed action was submitted to USFS
in December 2020 as the "Modified
Plan of Restoration and Operations 2" (ModPRO2) and represents
refinements to Alternative 2 of the August
2020 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The
refined plan incorporates stakeholder feedback on the DEIS and
is designed to reduce the project footprint and improve
environmental outcomes. Modifications include the elimination of
waste rock storage areas, overall reductions in mined material,
additional pit backfilling and restoration, and improvements to
water quality and water temperature. The USFS's decision advances
Perpetua Resources' improved and preferred Project design in the
NEPA process and sets the Project on a clear path to a final
permitting decision.
Importantly, the USFS will focus on Perpetua Resources' ModPRO2
and the two identified access routes for the remainder of the NEPA
process, eliminating DEIS Alternatives 1 and 3 from further
consideration. In order to ensure a full analysis of the refined
Project, the USFS plans to issue a targeted Supplemental Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) and provide the public and
cooperating agencies the opportunity to review and comment on the
additional analysis.
"We are pleased the USFS is advancing our proposed action
forward and establishing a well-defined path towards a Record of
Decision," said Laurel Sayer,
President & CEO of Perpetua Resources. "These actions expressly
integrate public input and additional analysis in the process,
reduce the Project's environmental effects, and enhance our
restoration and community objectives."
Perpetua Resources is confident that the additional analysis in
the SDEIS will demonstrate the advantages of ModPRO2 and looks
forward to continued engagement with the USFS and all relevant
stakeholders as the NEPA process is finalized. The Project
schedule update includes that the SDEIS will be released in Q1
2022, a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and draft
Record of Decision will be published in Q4 2022, and a final Record
of Decision will be issued in the first half of 2023.
The NEPA process is intended to ensure that federal agencies are
informed of a proposed action's potential environmental impacts
before making final decisions regarding the action. The rigorous
scientific analysis during the preparation of the DEIS and the
comments from the public and cooperating agencies provided during
the extended 75-day public comment period brought forward concepts
that could improve the environmental outcomes of the Project.
Perpetua Resources listened to this feedback, evaluated the
feasibility and potential benefits of these concepts, and submitted
modifications of the proposed plan (Alternative 2 in the DEIS)
to the USFS. The proposed improvements, which reduce the Project
footprint and are predicted to improve water quality
conditions at the site during and after Project operations, have
been incorporated in Perpetua Resources' 2020 Feasibility Study.
These refinements will now be analyzed further in the SDEIS.
"It was important to Perpetua Resources that we listen and act
upon feedback provided by community members, tribes, environmental
groups and cooperating agencies," said Sayer. "Incorporating their
ideas and additional refinements into the proposed action results
in a better Project, is the most efficient way to bring the Project
to life longer-term and is the right thing to do for all
stakeholders."
Growing bipartisan support for and the White House's recent
recognition of the importance of responsible domestic production of
critical minerals to our national and economic security and green
energy transition, signals renewed optimism for projects like the
Stibnite Gold Project. The Perpetua Resources team remains
committed to advancing the Stibnite Gold Project as efficiently as
possible, so its full benefits can be achieved for all
stakeholders.
More details about proposed Project refinements can be
found here.
About Perpetua Resources and the Stibnite Gold
Project
Perpetua Resources Corp., through its wholly owned
subsidiaries, is focused on the exploration, site restoration and
redevelopment of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the
Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed by the Stibnite
Gold Project. The Project is one of the highest-grade, open pit
gold deposits in the United States
and is designed to apply a modern, responsible mining approach to
restore an abandoned mine site and produce both gold and the only
mined source of antimony in the United
States. Antimony is a federally designated critical mineral
for its use in the national defense, aerospace and technology
sectors. In addition to the company's commitments to transparency,
accountability, environmental stewardship, safety and community
engagement, Perpetua Resources adopted formal ESG commitments which
can be found here.
Forward-Looking Information
Statements contained
in this news release that are not historical facts are
"forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements"
(collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of
applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking
Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding
possible events, next steps and courses of action including actions
to be taken by the USFS, the State of
Idaho and other government agencies and regulatory bodies;
plans with respect to the issuance of an SDEIS; the consideration
of difference access routes; the anticipated timing for release of
the SDEIS, FEIS, draft ROD and final ROD; predictions regarding
improvements to water quality at the site and reduction of the
Project footprint and the anticipated benefits and other effects
thereof. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be
identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such
words and phrases or statements such as "anticipates", "complete",
"expected" "ensure", and "potential", in relation to certain
actions, events or results "could", "may", "will", "would", be
achieved. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news
release, Perpetua Resources has applied several material
assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that the
current objectives concerning the Stibnite Gold Project can be
achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as
expected; that general business and economic conditions will not
change in a materially adverse manner; that the review process
under the NEPA (including any joint review process involving the
USFS, the State of Idaho and other
agencies and regulatory bodies) as well as the public review
process and SDEIS will proceed in a timely manner and as expected;
and that all requisite information will be available in
a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause
the actual results, performance or achievements of Perpetua
Resources to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information involves
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Perpetua
Resources to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include,
among others, changes in laws and regulations and changes in the
application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations
which may result in unforeseen results in the permitting process;
uncertainty surrounding input to be received; risks related to
dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays in
the review process including availability of personnel from the
USFS, State of Idaho and other
stated, federal and local agencies and regulatory bodies
(including, but not limited to, future US government shutdowns);
risks related to opposition to the Project; risks related to the
outcome of litigation and potential for delay of the Project, as
well as those factors discussed in Perpetua Resources' public
disclosure record. Although Perpetua Resources has attempted to
identify important factors that could affect Perpetua Resources and
may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially
from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be
other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that
Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as
required by law, Perpetua Resources does not assume any obligation
to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information
contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events.
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content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-forest-service-advances-perpetua-resources-proposed-action-eliminating-alternatives-with-schedule-update-for-targeted-nepa-completion-301323855.html
SOURCE Perpetua Resources Corp.