The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has reaffirmed its denial of IPOP, LLC’s application to mine in the Bonanza Channel near Nome. In a decision issued Monday, the agency cited insufficient data to justify the project’s large-scale environmental disruption.
The decision followed years of fierce local opposition and marked the second time this year the state has rejected the application.
Deilah Johnson, a tribal member of the Village of Solomon and a leading voice in opposition to IPOP’s project, said the news brought a mix of relief and surprise.
“I saw the email headline and I was nervous to open it,” Johnson said. “I was still nervous reading, although in the content along with the attachments they did also write in bold that this is denied officially by DNR.”
The ruling found that IPOP’s exploration efforts failed to meet scientific standards. An independent review by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) determined that IPOP’s 2019 drilling program “does not meet accepted standards for placer gold exploration.” The data was deemed too sparse and poorly documented to support a viable mining operation.
The Division said that IPOP’s proposed dredging alone would disturb approximately 70,000 cubic yards of sediment –enough to fill the Nome-Beltz gym floor-to-ceiling about 12 times– despite failing to demonstrate a viable mineral deposit. Without more reliable data, the agency ruled that the surface use was not legally “necessary” and posed an unjustified risk to public land and water resources.
Johnson credited the state’s independent review for making a crucial difference in this case.
“They took it upon themselves to have an outsider, independent review, go and make a determination,” she said. “Having the State of Alaska do that on their own speaks volumes to the commitment of DNR’s mission, and I think that they handled it in a very responsible manner.”
For many in the Nome region, particularly members of the Village of Solomon, the decision is a rare but meaningful victory in a drawn-out fight over land use.
“It’s been kind of like walking on eggshells,” Johnson said of the permitting process. “We may have small wins here and there, but trying to get the State of Alaska to kind of hear us, that was really frustrating. So for them to deny and then reaffirm feels great, a little shocking I would say, and surprising.”
The proposed mining operation raised alarms amongst locals and environmental advocates due to its location in the Solomon River estuary, an area important for subsistence, wildlife habitat and recreation. Johnson emphasized that while the denial is cause for celebration, the community remains vigilant.
“I hope that they understand that we’re not giving up,” she said.
IPOP has 20 calendar days to appeal the decision to the DNR Commissioner.
