Pogo Gold Mine Project, Alaska (1998-Ongoing): From 1998 to 2003, 3PP completed preliminary and final jurisdictional wetland mapping, vegetation mapping, and HGM wetland classification, including field verification, for the Pogo Gold Mine project and three access road alternatives (approximately 85,000 acres) for Teck, Inc. To facilitate this work, 3PP and Resource Data Inc. (RDI), a local database and geographic information system (GIS) firm, built a comprehensive environmental GIS which ultimately supported a successful EIS process, and facilitated project permitting needs in 2003. Approximately 800 jurisdictional determinations were made by 3PP during the 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 field seasons to support this project. Mapping was completed directly over color ortho-rectified digital aerial photography, using heads-up digitizing techniques and ArcView software. The average polygon size mapped was approximately 17 acres, although polygon sizes ranged from just over one acre to over 1,000 acres. Approximately 25 vegetation and cover classes were mapped. After a successful EIS process mine construction was completed. Once the project began production, 3PPI was asked to provide periodic support to Pogo’s in-house environmental staff with snow surveys, fish tissue sampling, annual report reviews, and regulatory and technical training for their on-site staff.

In 2011, 3PPI was invited by current project owners Sumitomo Metals, Inc., to begin additional vegetation and wetlands studies for a small expansion project within the current project footprint. A wetlands and vegetation map was produced, and a supplemental PJD report was compiled and submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 3PPI also supplied regulatory assistances to Pogo’s environmental staff resulting in a successful permitting process.

As potential mine expansion plans continued into 2012, 3PPI was asked to provided additional wetland and vegetation surveys, and began wildlife surveys on portions of the claim block.

3PPI work on the Pogo project is based from our Fairbanks office, with support from other team members as needed.