Representative Peltola seeks to Congressionally prohibit mine waste disposal in Pebble Mine area; anglers and business owners applaud step and urge continued bipartisan action to safeguard Bristol Bay.
Contacts:
Chris Wood, president and CEO, Trout Unlimited, chris.wood@tu.org
Nelli Williams, Alaska director, Trout Unlimited, nelli.williams@tu.org, 907-230-7121
Brian Kraft, owner, Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge and president of Katmai Service Providers, bkraft@alaskasportsmanslodge.com, 907-227-8719
Nanci Morris Lyon, owner, Bear Trail Lodge, nanci@beartraillodge.com, 907-246-2327
ANCHORAGE, AK —Today, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) introduced legislation to strengthen the protections issued for the headwaters of Bristol Bay last year. The "Bristol Bay Protection Act” would further solidify the Environmental Protection Agency’s determination that mining the Pebble deposit would have unacceptable adverse impacts on the fisheries, wildlife and recreational areas. The bill would congressionally prohibit the discharge of mine waste into rivers, lakes and wetlands that surround the Pebble deposit. Legislation would solidify these protective measures, making them more difficult to overturn in the future.
“Clean Water Act 404(c) safeguards for the irreplaceable fisheries of Bristol Bay were widely celebrated by Alaskans and advocates across the nation,” said Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “This is a significant step to further strengthen these common-sense protective measures.”
“Bristol Bay’s fishery and surrounding resources provide 15,000 jobs and over $2 billion in economic activity to the region,” said Brian Kraft, Bristol Bay lodge owner and president of Katmai Service Providers, an organization of commercial operators dedicated to resource protection around Katmai National Park. “I am glad to see Representative Peltola taking action to ensure the well-being of our state and establish a legacy all Alaskans can be proud of by protecting this critical resource.”
“The Pebble Partnership and its allies continue to relentlessly push for a mine that a majority of Alaskans, local Tribes, sportsmen and women, and three presidential administrations have questioned and rejected,” said Nelli Williams, Alaska director for Trout Unlimited. “This legislation is a good step forward and we commend Representative Peltola for recognizing that more durable safeguards for Bristol Bay are needed. I'm hopeful this is just the first building block of bipartisan legislation that helps Bristol Bay and its families, fish, wildlife and jobs continue to thrive. Safeguarding Bristol Bay has been one of only a handful of issues that people can agree on -- now we need to work together to get it done.”
“I thought that I could finally fully focus on running our business without the constant worry of Pebble Mine on the horizon,” said Nanci Morris Lyon, owner of Bear Trail Lodge in King Salmon, Alaska. “But the lawsuits brought by the State of Alaska and Pebble Partnership threaten to erase the good protections for our fish and wildlife that local people have long advocated for. We can’t stop until durable, watershed-wide safeguards are put in place, and Representative Peltola’s legislation is a good start in that direction.”
This bill comes just weeks after Northern Dynasty Minerals, the Canadian mining corporation behind Pebble Mine, and the State of Alaska challenged 404(c) protections for Bristol Bay’s headwaters in court with four separate lawsuits. The “Bristol Bay Protection Act” would further insulate Clean Water Act safeguards from future frivolous lawsuits.
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Trout Unlimited, the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization, is dedicated to caring for and recovering America’s rivers and streams, so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon. Across the country, TU brings to bear river restoration expertise, local, regional, and national grassroots organizing, durable partnerships, science-backed policy muscle, and legal firepower on behalf of trout and salmon fisheries, healthy waters and vibrant communities. In Alaska, we work with sportsmen and women to ensure the state’s trout and salmon resources remain healthy far into the future through our local chapters and staff across the state.
Katmai Service Providers represents 64 Alaska fishing, hunting, bear viewing and tourism businesses that operate in the Bristol Bay region. The group is dedicated to resource protection through stewardship, promoting public access, fostering cooperation among users, participating in future development planning, promoting safety and education and enhancing Katmai National Park recreational activities. Brian Kraft is the president of the KSP and the owner of two sportfishing lodges in southwest Alaska, one in Igiugig, Alaska and one near Dillingham, Alaska.