Army Corps extends deadline to comment on Graphite One 404 permit

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has extended the public comment period for a major permit to allow the proposed Graphite One mine to go forward. The deadline was extended from October 31 to November 30, 2025.

The Corps seeks public comment on a so-called Section 404 permit that would allow Graphite One (Alaska) to place fill material, permanently impacting about 415 acres of water and wetlands, to develop a graphite mine north of the Kigluaik Mountains. 

The reasons given for the extension are to allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration time to provide comments, but both of the agencies are affected by the government shutdown and have been furloughed since Oct. 1.

The Army Corps said, assuming that the shutdown ends Nov. 15, the extension would allow for review and comments by both USFWS and NOAA.

A second reason given was that members of the Alaska Native community requested to extend the public comment period as most tribal leaders were attending AFN in mid-October, preventing those leaders from having enough time to review the notice and draft comments.