Guest Editorial by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
For decades, the Pebble Mine has loomed over Alaska’s Bristol Bay, threatening fish, wildlife, and the people that call this watershed home. In November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new timeframe for considering whether to permanently protect Bristol Bay and stop the Pebble Mine.
As a next step in this process, the EPA just launched a comment period through July 5th on their proposal to finalize permanent protections for Bristol Bay under section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act.
The EPA’s Proposed Determination found that mine waste including dredged or fill material would have “unacceptable adverse effects” for Bristol Bay’s salmon fishery, including the permanent loss of 8.5 miles of streams. This 404(c) authority effectively stops Pebble Mine from being developed and prohibits more than 10.2 billion tons of waste from being permanently disposed of in the Bristol Bay watershed – the most productive sockeye salmon fishery on earth. These are the durable protections hunters, anglers, tribes and commercial fishing companies have been demanding for over a decade.
 process and finalize protections this year. </em></p>
<p><em>The EPA’s action must include protections for several critical watersheds including: the North Fork Koktuli, South Fork Koktuli and Upper Talarik Creek, all of which support the productivity of Bristol Bay’s wild salmon and are under threat from Pebble and other large-scale mines like it.</em><em><br />
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<p><em>Please finish the job now and ensure that Bristol Bay’s pristine lands and waters are protected in perpetuity. </em></p>
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