Pebble Creek Mine Update

06.05.12

As taken from the Sportsman’s Alliance Newsletter:

HUGE NEWS!

Bristol Bay: EPA Releases Draft Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment

On Friday, May 18, the Environmental Protection Agency released its draft watershed assessment for Bristol Bay [in response to possible development of Pebble Creek Mine]. There is now a public comment period open through July 23rd for the public to weigh in. This is the chance we’ve been waiting for. Now people all over the country can help protect Bristol Bay. Take action – and send the news to everyone you feel would care about Bristol Bay’s incredible fish, game, economic, and cultural resources.

The assessment includes the following conclusions:

• Bristol Bay’s wild salmon fishery and other natural resources provide at least 14,000 full and part-time jobs and is valued at about $480 million annually.
• The average annual run of sockeye salmon is about 37.5 million fish.
• Even at its minimum size, Pebble Mine would eliminate or block 55 to 87 miles of salmon streams and at least 2,500 acres of wetlands – key habitat for sockeye and other fishes.
• EPA evaluated four types of large-scale mine failures, and found that even though precise estimates of failure probabilities cannot be made, evidence from other large mines suggest that “at least one or more accidents of failures could occur, potentially resulting in immediate, severe impacts on salmon and detrimental, long-term impacts on salmon habitat.”

More information:

• The draft watershed assessment and executive summary may be viewed on the EPA’s official Bristol Bay web page.
• View the official EPA press release announcing the draft watershed
  assessment.
• Hunting and angling groups and businesses voiced their support for the watershed assessment in this press release.

TAKE ACTION and SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS on the draft watershed assessment.

Even more info about the fight against Pebble Creek Mine at SaveBristolBay.org

Posted in Conservation, News