For more than a decade, we have fought to protect Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble mine.
As wild salmon populations decline globally, Bristol Bay's prolific wild salmon runs and the economies they support make it a place of international importance. For years, the region faced a massive threat from the proposed Pebble mine, as well as hard rock mining on adjacent state and federal land. Thankfully, this threat is at bay - for now. In order to stay thriving, the region must have durable protections from Pebble and other large-scale mining projects.
“I am not opposed to mining, but [Pebble] is the wrong mine in the wrong place.”
Get the Facts on this ill-conceived project:
major milestones
2010: Six Bristol Bay tribes, commercial fishermen and sportsmen and many others request to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to initiate the 404(c) process to protect Bristol Bay. This measure is authorized under the more than 40 year-old Clean Water Act.
2012: In response to the above request, the EPA conducted the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. Over the course of three years, EPA issued two drafts of the Assessment, concluding that the Pebble proposal would negatively impact Bristol Bay salmon. Public input was accepted nationwide, with more than 1 million comments supporting EPA's work, and hundreds of scientists weighed in verifying these conclusions.
2013: The Alaska DNR signed and adopted a Determination of Reclassification and Plan Amendment to the Bristol Bay Area Plan, which significantly increased the amount of lands classified Wildlife Habitat and Public Recreation in the region. While a dramatic improvement over the 2005 Area Plan, which was drafted to slant management toward mining instead of habitat protections, there is still work to be done to achieve protections for salmon.
2013: The final Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment was released. Its findings were clear: it is not likely that any mine the size, type and location of Pebble can operate in Bristol Bay without harming salmon.
2013: Anglo American, a major investor in the Pebble mine, abandoned its $541-plus million investment in the project.
2014: Global mining giant Rio Tinto gifted its 19.1% stake in Northern Dynasty (now the sole member of the Pebble Limited "Partnership") to two Alaskan charities, therefore also walking away from the Pebble mine.
2014: EPA released its Proposed Determination proposing to limit mining within the Bristol Bay region on the basis that the mine would cause irreversible and unacceptable damage to the Bristol Bay salmon ecosystem. Over 1.5 million comments were submitted across the country on the proposal, 85.9% of which were in support of strong protections for Bristol Bay.
2014: When the Mount Polley tailings dam tragically failed in British Columbia, thousands learned about the threats posed by large-scale mining even with the most state-of-the-art technology. This spill provoked additional criticism of Pebble's claim that they can mine without accident in Bristol Bay.
2016: An independent federal watchdog, the Inspector General, determined the U.S. Environmental Protection agency acted fairly in its conduct during the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment, the findings of which ultimately directed the Agency to limit mining activities in Bristol Bay due to its unacceptable risk on wild salmon, clean water and a thriving fish-based economy.
2016: Pebble's website states they are "only just now preparing to apply for permits," despite promising the permit applications were eminent, presumably while waiting for a favorable political window, for over ten years. Click here to see the full timeline.
May 2017: Hours after a closed-door meeting between the new EPA Administrator and the CEO of Northern Dynasty, the EPA Administrator ignored years of scientific study and overwhelming public opinion and directed staff to withdraw important protections for Bristol Bay salmon.
October 2017: In response to the May withdrawal request, an unprecedented number of comments were submitted to the EPA in support of strong protections for the region, including near unanimous support from the Bristol Bay region.
December 2017: Pebble filed for a key federal-level permit. The phase one plan presented in the permit application confirms that the proposed Pebble mine would be catastrophic for Bristol Bay and its world-famous salmon and trout fisheries. Learn more about the phase one plan here. In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the key agency in charge of reviewing the permit, laid out an unprecedentedly rushed permit review timeline.
January 2018: U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that he would not withdraw the 2014 Clean Water Act 404(c) Proposed Determination for Bristol Bay, Alaska.
May 2018: First Quantum Minerals backed out of an agreement with Pebble Limited Partnership that would have made it a major funding partner for the embattled Pebble copper and gold prospect, raising questions about the project's future.
August 2018: The Army Corps of Engineers released its final scoping report concerning Pebble’s phase one permit. Over 400,000 comments were submitting raising concerns about Pebble’s application, including the incompleteness of the plan submitted, lack of demonstrated proof of financial viability, inadequate opportunity for public input, improperly segmenting review due to a mine we know will expand, and myriad impacts to the region.
February - June 2019: The Army Corps of Engineers released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), launching a key public comment period. The DEIS for Pebble's initial proposal uses outdated and insufficient science, ignores important cultural and economic values, and falls substantially short of the robust analysis that the fishery, jobs, cultures and wild character of Bristol Bay call for. The Corps grossly underestimates the true impacts and fails to paint an accurate portrayal of the proposal. Still, the document shows the proposed Pebble mine will cause immense impacts to the Bristol Bay region, destroying more than 3,500 acres of wetlands and roughly 80 stream miles. Close to 700,000 comments were submitted in opposition to Pebble’s plan
July 2019: Despite EPA releasing comments critical of Pebble’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the agency announced that they would begin to withdraw the 2014 Proposed Determination. In October, tribal organizations, Trout Unlimited, and conservation groups announced that they would be suing the EPA over this decision. The groups allege that the EPA broke the Administrative Procedures Act and Clean Water Act when it ignored science and the potential impacts of developing the mine, and that the decision was made purely to support Pebble’s acquisition of the key federal-level permit.
April 2020: The court sides with EPA, and dismisses the lawsuit by tribes and conservation groups to reinstate proposed Clean Water Act protections.
May 2020: Trout Unlimited decides to file an appeal on the lawsuit against EPA; the case is sent to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for review.
May 2020: 250 hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation industry businesses and organizations sent a letter to President Trump calling on his Administration to deny the key federal permit for the proposed mine. The letter was delivered alongside a petition signed by over 30,000 individual sportsmen and women.
July 2020: The Army Corps of Engineers released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Pebble mine. The FEIS shows more than 191 miles of streams and 4,614 acres of wetlands would be impacted if phase one of the proposed Pebble mine advances, with 185 miles and 3,841 acres permanently impacted.
August 2020: Former chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence, Nick Ayers tweeted his opposition to the proposed Pebble mine. Donald Trump Jr., follows with solid opposition to the mine. A series of high profile conservative figures and celebrities respond in shared opposition against Pebble.
August 2020: The Army Corps of Engineers tells Pebble Limited Partnership the proposed Pebble mine would not receive its federal permit as it “would likely result in significant degradation of the environment and … significant adverse effects on the aquatic system.” The Army Corps of Engineers gives PLP 90 days to resubmit a new compensatory mitigation plan. Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan issue statements of support for the Army Corps’ decision.
September 2020: The Pebble Tapes are released by the Environmental Investigation Agency. 12 videos show PLP CEO Tom Collier and Northern Dynasty Minerals CEO Ron Thiessen discussing the mine plan with investigators posed as potential investors. The tapes reveal that Pebble intends to build a mine that would last 180 years longer than the current mine plan, and that significant support from state and federal officials was used to push the project through the permitting process. In response, Tom Collier resigns.
October 2020: During the virtual Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention, Senator Lisa Murkowski issued her strongest statement yet against the proposed Pebble mine and spoke to her commitment to obtaining long term protections for the people, fish, and fish-based industries in Bristol Bay.
November 2020: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denies the permit application for the proposed Pebble mine citing the project does not meet Clean Water Act standards and is not in the public interest.
June 2021: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sides with Trout Unlimited and rules that the case against EPA to reinstate proposed Clean Water Act protections can proceed. This puts proposed protections back on track for Bristol Bay.
September 2021: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces that it would move to vacate its 2019 decision to withdraw proposed protections for Bristol Bay and reinstate the agency’s earlier 2014 Proposed Determination. These proposed protections would limit the amount of waste water and mine waste discharge that could be released in to Waters of the United States in the Bristol Bay region.
April 2022: Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski reiterates her support for a long term solution for Bristol Bay and finding a legislative solution to permanently safeguard the region at ComFish Alaska.
May 2022: The EPA announces its revised Proposed Determination for Bristol Bay, taking the first step to reinitiate the Clean Water Act 404(c) process. This announcement opens a public comment period, and EPA holds three public hearings in the region and virtually to accept public feedback on the revised proposed protections for the headwaters of Bristol Bay.
December 2022: The EPA issues its Recommended Determination for Bristol Bay. EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller sends recommended protections to EPA Administrator Michael Regan for a final decision to be made within 60 days.
January 2023: The EPA issues a Final Determination for Bristol Bay under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act. Mine waste discharge is restricted and prohibited in the Pebble deposit area of Bristol Bay.
Header image by Brian O'Keefe