Action Alert: Graphite One USACE Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Urgent action needed to prevent the proposed Graphite One mining operation.
Local tribes have expressed strong opposition and deserve careful consideration in any project using their traditional land, air and waters that they rely on for cultural, spiritual and subsistence use. We request that USACE fully evaluate the significant environmental, subsistence, cultural, and human health impacts associated with the proposed action and consider alternatives that avoid or substantially reduce those impacts.
Graphite One Project website:
Public and virtual meetings can be attended at:
Nome: Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 5:30 – 8:00 PM St. Joseph Catholic Church, 100 W King Place, Nome, AK 99762
Virtual Meeting: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 6:00 – 8:00 PM Access link will be posted on the Project website shown above.
Please submit and share a public comment below.
Dear Mr. Mazer,
I am writing to submit a public comment in opposition regarding Permit Application POA-2018-00210 for the proposed Graphite One open-pit graphite mine in the Kigluaik Mountains of Alaska. I oppose the proposed Graphite Creek Project and request that USACE fully evaluate the significant environmental, subsistence, cultural, and human health impacts associated with the proposed action and consider alternatives that avoid or substantially reduce those impacts. We ask USACE to analyze the potential release and downstream effects of metals (such as cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium, sulfate, nitrate/nitrite, and acid-generation) and other constituents from the pit, waste rock, tailings, roads, and water management facilities.
We request that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):
-disclose predicted concentrations and pollution under normal, accidental release, and post closure scenarios.
-evaluate reasonably foreseeable failure scenarios, including tailings failure, water treatment system failure, power outages, extreme precipitation/flooding, diversion channel failure, spills, and long-term post closure failures. The analysis shouldn’t assume that all engineered controls work perfectly for the entire life of the project.
-require analysis of contamination of fish and wildlife and the potential consequences for subsistence users.
-require analysis of fish and wildlife populations and effects on habitat, food resources, and water quality.
-require analysis of individual stream crossings, fish passage, sedimentation, road drainage, dust, spills, winter maintenance, and subsistence impacts over the full life of the mine and road.
-identify exposure pathways for dust, sediment, drinking water, and consumption of subsistence foods.
-analyze the 389.8 acres of permanent and 142.6 acres of temporary jurisdictional water impacts, including the 12,440 linear feet of stream diversion, and to explain how those impacts could be avoided or minimized.
-meaningfully evaluate alternatives that reduce the footprint, alter the waste management/tailings configuration, reduce or eliminate stream diversion, change the road alignment, reduce road impacts, or otherwise reduce the amount of water requiring long-term management.
-fully evaluate impacts on cultural resources. Unresolved cultural resource issues and traditional cultural resources should be fully addressed and not referring generally to them as “cultural sites.”-
It is crucial to consult with the local Tribes on a government-to-government basis every step of the way to ensure a good outcome and to respect tribal sovereignty before decisions are finalized. Both the Native Village of Brevig Mission and the Native Village of Teller have expressed strong opposition and deserve careful consideration in any project using their traditional land, air and waters that they rely on for cultural, spiritual and subsistence use. We do not support destroying the land and wildlife in one of the most fragile and culturally rich places in the world and we need to protect the health of the people, land, water, and wildlife that call this place home.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME