(Source: MARKET WIRE)NovaGold Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "NovaGold") (TSX: NG)(NYSE Alternext US: NG) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Teck Cominco Ltd. ("Teck") to amend certain provisions of the Partnership Agreement relating to the Galore Creek Project ("Galore Creek"). The agreement confirms that NovaGold and Teck each continue to hold a 50% interest in the Galore Creek Partnership ("the Partnership"). Under the amended agreement Teck will now fund 100% of Galore Creek costs until the aggregate amount contributed by Teck after November 1, 2008, together with approximately $15.8 million previously contributed by Teck on optimization studies equals C$60 million. Teck's remaining funding obligation, taking into account the amount 100% funded for November and December 2008 of $8.5 million, is approximately $35.7 million which is to be contributed by December 31, 2012. During the period of Teck's sole funding, Teck will have a casting vote on the Partnership's Management Committee with respect to the timing and nature of expenses to be funded. Following Teck's $60 million contribution, all further costs at Galore will be funded by Teck and NovaGold in accordance with their respective partnership interests. The new funding arrangements replace the funding arrangements agreed by Teck and NovaGold in November 2007 which required Teck to spend $72 million on optimization studies over 5 years and required NovaGold and Teck to jointly fund other costs.

Galore Creek Project Update

During 2008, Galore Creek Mining Corporation ("GCMC"), the operator of the project, undertook an extensive engineering review to look at optimization of the development plan for Galore Creek. The results of these engineering optimization studies have identified a number of modified approaches to the project that show the potential for significant expansion of the project throughput, a shorter construction schedule, location of the process facilities to allow for future expansion, and fewer risks associated with construction and operations. As currently envisioned the project would have the potential to annually produce 350 to 700 million pounds of copper, 250,000 to 500,000 ounces of gold and 3 to 5 million ounces of silver in the initial 5 to 10 years of operation with an operating life exceeding 17 years of operation. In addition, current prices for key mine inputs, including diesel, steel, major mechanical equipment and contract labor have decreased significantly since the peak levels in 2008 and indicate potential for reduced overall capital costs. An updated geological model is currently being constructed which will incorporate the results of 2008 drilling and acid-base accounting tests.