** Army Corps blocks destructive Pebble Mine near Alaska's Bristol Bay
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Monday, November 30, 2020
Sockeye salmon migration near Bristol Bay. Photo credit: USFWS/Togiak National Wildlife Refuge ([link removed])

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers struck a devastating blow ([link removed]) against the proposed Pebble Mine near Alaska's Bristol Bay, home to the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery and a key resource for subsistence hunting and fishing activities.

Colonel Damon Delarosa, Alaska Commander for the Army Corps said in a statement ([link removed]) that the project proponent's plan to deal with waste from the Pebble Mine “does not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines,” and, “the proposed project is contrary to the public interest.”

The Army Corps' decision reflects concerns ([link removed]) from state and federal agencies that have consistently warned that the project would permanently damage the region, potentially destroying more than 2,800 acres of wetlands, 130 miles of streams and more than 130 acres of open water within Alaska’s Koktuli River watershed.

Joel Reynolds, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, hailed the decision as a victory in an ongoing battle to protect Bristol Bay, saying ([link removed]) , “Today’s decision speaks volumes about how bad this project is, how uniquely unacceptable it is. We’ve had to kill this project more than once, and we’re going to continue killing for as long as it takes to protect Bristol Bay.”


** Congress on the brink of passing major conservation legislation
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Just months after passing the historic Great American Outdoors Act ([link removed]) , Congress is once again ([link removed]) poised to pass major conservation legislation. Negotiators for the House and Senate are hoping to reach an agreement on a must-pass defense spending bill, including provisions ([link removed]) that would protect iconic landscapes across the West. Passing these bills would be a key step towards protecting 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030, a bold goal ([link removed]) that scientists say would combat the climate and nature crises, while strengthening economies and improving public health.
Quick hits


** Trump administration relaxes rules against killing migratory birds
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Washington Post ([link removed])


** Wyoming coal giant cancels health benefits for retired miners
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Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed])


** Nez Perce tribe continues decades-long fight to remove dams on the Lower Snake River and restore salmon runs
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Seattle Times ([link removed])


** Editorial: Biden must move quickly to reverse Trump's assault on the environment
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Chicago Sun Times ([link removed])


** Congress considering major conservation legislation during the "lame duck" session
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Westwise ([link removed])


** As mysteriously as it arrived, monolith found in Utah canyon disappears
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Army Corps of Engineers blocks destructive Pebble Mine in Alaska's Bristol Bay
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Washington Post ([link removed])


** Opinion: America's Serengeti, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, shall not die
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The Hill ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The credit for this victory belongs not to any politician but to Alaskans and Bristol Bay’s Indigenous peoples, as well as to hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts from all across the country who spoke out in opposition to this dangerous and ill-conceived project. We can be thankful that their voices were heard, that science counted, and that people prevailed over short-term profiteering.”
—Adam Kolton ([link removed]) , executive director, Alaska Wilderness League
Picture this


** @NatlParkService ([link removed])
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Your chances of being hunted by a turkey are low, but never zero. Peeping “Tom” spotted looking through door at Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota. [link removed] ([link removed])
#FindYourPark ([link removed]) #gobblegobble ([link removed])

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