Welcome to the Donlin Gold Project Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Public Involvement Site

This site provides information about the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process for the Donlin Gold Project proposed by Donlin Gold, LLC. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Alaska District is the lead federal agency overseeing the preparation of the SEIS.

The SEIS is being prepared to meet the requirement of the U.S. District Court’s remand in Orutsararmiut Native Council, et al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, et al. (Case No. 3:23-cv-00071-SLG) to evaluate the impacts of a larger tailings spill.

About the SEIS

Donlin Gold proposes to develop a gold mine in southwest Alaska about 10 miles north of the community of Crooked Creek along the Kuskokwim River. In July 2012, Donlin Gold sought a permit from USACE pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, to allow for the discharge of fill within waters of the U.S. and construction in navigable waters for construction of the mine and associated infrastructure. Donlin also applied for a right-of-way from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to construct portions of the proposed natural gas pipeline across federal lands.

The Project encompasses the construction of an open-pit mine, tailings storage facility (TSF), a 316-mile natural gas pipeline originating from Cook Inlet, a natural-gas-fired power plant, advanced processing facilities, designated waste management areas, and the necessary transportation infrastructure to support year-round operations. The primary transportation components include a port facility at Angyaruaq (Jungjuk), a 30-mile mine access road from the port (west of Crooked Creek), a 5,000-foot airstrip, airstrip spur road, and material sites.

USACE prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in April 2018 with BLM as a cooperating agency. Federal lands were involved, and BLM conducted an ANILCA Section 810 evaluation. In August 2018, USACE and BLM issued a Joint Record of Decision (JROD) authorizing the USACE permit and granting the right-of-way.

The Orutsararmiut Native Council filed suit in Alaska U.S. District Court, arguing that a larger volume tailings spill should have been evaluated under NEPA. In September 2024, the District Court found in favor of the Plaintiffs on the tailings spill NEPA claim, stating that the FEIS and the BLM’s Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) Section 810 analyses should have evaluated the effects of a larger tailings spill. In June 2025, the Court issued an Order, remanding the FEIS to USACE and the BLM to supplement the FEIS with the evaluation of a larger tailings spill.

The Court did not specify the size of the tailings spill to be analyzed, and the Order specifically left in place, without supplementation, the other substantive analyses contained within the FEIS and JROD. Therefore, to meet the requirements of the narrow remand, this SEIS analysis will focus only on a larger tailings spill (or range of spill scenarios). The SEIS will rely on the baseline information from the FEIS. The SEIS will analyze the resulting social, economic, physical, chemical, and biological impacts of a larger tailings spill (or range of spill scenarios) on the affected areas, including an analysis of subsistence impacts under ANILCA Section 810. Neither additional alternatives nor other impacts will be evaluated.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

Lead Federal Agency:

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Cooperating Agencies:

• Bureau of Land Management
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• State of Alaska
• Crooked Creek Traditional Council
• Chuathbaluk Traditional Council
• Knik Tribal Council
• Napaimute Traditional Council
• Akiak Native Community

SEIS Process

What is an SEIS?

A SEIS is an additional document required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when significant new information or substantial changes to a proposed federal action arise after a Final EIS has already been completed. In this case, the federal Court is requiring USACE to conduct an analysis of a larger tailings spill than what was considered in the original Final EIS.

Steps in the SEIS Process

Notice of Intent / Public Notice – a public announcement stating that a federal agency will prepare an EIS for a major project that solicits comments from the public relevant to the proposed action.

Draft SEIS – will describe the environmental impacts of a larger spill of tailings. The Draft SEIS will be released for public review and comment.

Final SEIS – will incorporate and respond to public comments and be published for public review.

Record of Decision – a formal public document will be prepared by USACE and BLM to document the decision to modify, reaffirm, or rescind the JROD, ROW authorization, and/or Section 404 permit.

Public Involvement

How to Engage with the Process

During public comment periods for the Notice of Intent and Draft SEIS, stakeholders and the public are invited to submit comments and questions about the project via the online public comment form, email, mail, or in person at public meetings. Please see our Contact Us & Public Comment section for more information.

Public Participation Plan for Community Outreach Efforts

• Public meetings
• Email updates and newsletters
• Tribal consultations
• Opportunities to review and comment on SEIS documents

How to Submit Comments

Please see our Contact Us / Public Comments section for project contact information. Public comments will be accepted during the comment period for the NOI in January of 2026 and during the comment period for the Draft SEIS in the fall of 2026.

Government-to-Government Consultations

Federally Recognized Tribes that believe that tribal rights and/or resources may be affected by this proposed action may request government-to-government consultation with USACE. If you wish to invite USACE to government-to-government consultation, please advise the District Commander in writing and provide the contact information of a person you would like the Commander’s staff to contact to begin coordination.

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, Title 41

The Project is covered under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, Title 41 (FAST-41). FAST-41 established a process for improving the timeliness, predictability, and transparency of environmental review and permitting of covered projects for project proponents and the public. The Project’s FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard and Timetable may be found at https://www.permits.performance.gov/permitting-project/fast-41-covered-projects/donlin-gold-project. USACE and BLM anticipate rendering a final decision to modify, reaffirm, or rescind the original JROD, ROW, and permit by May 28, 2027.

Meetings and Events

Public Meetings on the Draft SEIS are tentatively planned for October 2026.

Documents and Reports

• Final EIS April 2018
• JROD August 2018
• Remand requiring the SEIS

Contact Us / Public Comments

Public comments may be submitted via email, mail, or online. Public comments will only be accepted during the specified public comment time periods for the NOI and Draft SEIS.

Online:

Visit the Public Comment Form website to submit comments online.

Email:

donlingoldseis-record@aecom.com

Mailing:

Email Updates

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