This week, as the salmon harvest in Bristol Bay approached an all-time reco
EPA Bows to Political Pressure on Pebble Mine
Dear John,
This week, as the salmon harvest in Bristol Bay, Alaska approached an all-time record, the fight to defend this singular place on Earth suffered a serious blow. Political appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency announced they are withdrawing Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay, which would have prevented the Pebble Mine from moving forward.
This decision ignores the wishes of sovereign Alaska Native tribes and more than a million Americans. It also overlooks the EPA's own exhaustive study and public review between 2010 and 2014 on the potential impacts of mining on the waters and fisheries of the Bristol Bay watershed.
Tuesday's decision flies in the face of criticism of the project from staff at the EPA and other agencies. Over the past several weeks, Pebble's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has come under considerable fire. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service went so far as to write that the DEIS is "so inadequate that it precludes meaningful analysis." EPA staff also issued a highly critical review, noting a laundry list of insufficiencies and failures.
You can join them — and Wild Salmon Center — by calling on Congress to stop Pebble and protect Bristol Bay today. Stay tuned for more action directed at your representatives in the coming weeks.
