Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Lauds Kensington Gold Mine Court Ruling

June 22, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Kensington mine, a gold mining project near Juneau.

Today’s ruling reversed a decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and confirmed the validity of a previously issued permit from the Corps of Engineers for disposal of tailings. The project is being developed by Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation.

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The state supported Coeur’s legal efforts to move the project ahead at every level of court review, including intervening in the lawsuit at the outset, litigating the case in the Ninth Circuit, filing a petition asking for review by the Supreme Court, and briefing the case in the Supreme Court on the merits.

Even securing Supreme Court review was an uphill battle, because the federal government itself, whose permit the Ninth Circuit had invalidated, did not seek review. Only the State of Alaska and Coeur filed petitions.

In addition, the case involved complex issues of how to interpret and apply the federal Clean Water Act, issues which led the Supreme Court to take the unusual step of ordering the parties to file supplemental briefs a few weeks ago.

“This is great news for Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “Today’s ruling is a green light for responsible resource development. Kensington will produce as many as 370 well-paying jobs. We truly appreciate Coeur’s tenacity in pursuing the project and its dedication to hiring Alaskans to work at the mine.”

The state will continue to provide support through the Department of Labor’s workforce training and apprenticeship programs.

The Kensington mine is located 45 miles northwest of Juneau. Couer estimates the mine will be brought into production by the second half of 2010. The mine is expected to produce as many as 150,000 ounces of gold per year during its early stages of operation. Over the life of the mine, Kensington is expected to yield more than 1 million ounces of gold.

Source: Alaska Governor