From Trout Unlimited Article by Jenny Weis
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it found the proposed Pebble mine would cause significant degradation to the Bristol Bay region and cannot not receive its key federal permit.
“This is a good day for Bristol Bay,” said Nelli Williams, Alaska director of Trout Unlimited. “No corner should be cut when considering a giant mine in the heart of a place this cherished and important. The Pebble Partnership put forward a half-baked plan with a litany of problems. Pebble had its opportunity to go through the process, but the project fails to meet the standards required. Kudos to the Army Corps, the Trump Administration, and other resource agencies who were critical of the mine proposal for calling Pebble out on that.” Read Trout Unlimited’s full press release here.
Over the two-year permit review process, scientists, agencies and countless individuals repeatedly raised concerns related to Pebble’s plans. Moreover, the voices of hunters and anglers across the country prove instrumental in showing the Administration that Americans cherish the Great Outdoors and places like Bristol Bay are worthy of protecting.
Thank you to each and every one of you who signed petitions, wrote letters, made calls and donated to ensure that our voices for Bristol Bay were heard loud and clear.
Before passing out kudos we should recognize the project is still on track. It is merely delayed for 90 days (and past the November election) while the Pebble Limited Partnership comes up with a mitigation plan to address the expected “unavoidable adverse impacts.” And we all know the Corp’s track record on “mitigation” follow through.
Actually, on June 27, 2019, the EPA informed it’s scientists who were working on the project that the agency would no longer oppose the mine on the basis of potential harm to salmon or Bristol Bay water quality. That was the day after President Trump met with the pro-mine Alaska governor.