Three tribal governments near a major proposed graphite mine on Alaska’s Seward Peninsula say the Biden administration violated its own internal policies by granting $37.5 million to the Canadian company advancing the project without consulting with the tribes first.
The tribal governments of the communities of Teller, Brevig Mission and Mary’s Igloo each privately sent the letters in September to the U.S. Department of Defense, which announced the grant to Vancouver-based Graphite One in July.
The tribes then shared the letters with the media in December, in part because the department hadn’t responded, said Hal Shepherd, a consultant working with the tribes.
“Our tribe…uses the area where the project is located for subsistence, and it is essential that we have an opportunity to be heard about our concerns for any extraction activities that could impact us,” the letter said. “We ask the department to rectify this mistake and engage in consultation with our tribes on this funding decision and other decisions going forward that will impact our interests.”
The six-page letters were drafted by the Anchorage-based environmental law firm Trustees for Alaska, and the tribes are also working with another advocacy group, Earthworks, that’s helped other tribes making similar consultation requests of the Defense Department, Shepherd said.
Several leaders from the tribal governments have previously voiced concerns about the proposed graphite mine, which would sit next to an estuary that supports salmon and other species that residents of the region depend on for subsistence. The project is still in its early stages, and Graphite One has not yet applied for major environmental permits for construction.
In a prepared statement, a Pentagon spokesman, Jeff Jurgensen, cited the importance of domestic supply chains for “critical minerals” like graphite, which are key components of electrical vehicle batteries. Nearly all of the highly processed graphite currently used in electric vehicle batteries comes from China.
“While we do not have specific information to provide regarding the correspondence or claims referenced in your query, the Department of Defense understands the importance of both transparency and involvement from all parties affected by critical minerals efforts such as these,” Jurgensen said, adding that grant recipients must abide by all applicable laws, policies and regulations. “We will continue to work with our commercial, state, local and tribal organizations and partners to ensure activities are conducted accordingly.”
Graphite One’s chief executive, Anthony Huston, said in a prepared statement that “we want to hear the concerns, questions and ideas of all the stakeholders in Graphite Creek so we can continue working to put together the best possible project for the region.”
The three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation, who all hailed the Defense Department grant when it was announced, did not address the tribes’ letter. A spokesman for Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola declined to comment, while spokespersons for Republican U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Nathaniel Herz is an Anchorage-based journalist and the author of Northern Journal. To support Northern Journal, subscribe here.
