Army Corps says no to massive gold mine proposed near Bristol Bay in Alaska
Source: Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin
November 25, 2020 at 12:46 p.m. EST
The Trump administration denied a key permit on Wednesdat for a massive gold and copper mine in Alaska striking a devastating blow to a project opposed by an unusual coalition that includes the presidents son as well as conservationists and Alaska Natives.
In a statement, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska Commander Col. Damon Delarosa said the agency would block Pebble Mine because it determined that the plan the Pebble Limited Partnership submitted to deal with the projects waste does not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines and concluded that the proposed project is contrary to the public interest.
While the Trump administration has pressed ahead to weaken environmental protections and expand energy development before the presidents term ends in January, the upcoming mine decision represents a major win for environmentalists, fishing enthusiasts and tribal rights.
Trump officials had allowed the Pebble Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of a Canadian firm, to apply for a permit even though the Obama administration had concluded in 2014 the firm could not seek federal approval because it could have significant and potentially catastrophic impacts on the worlds largest sockeye salmon fishery in nearby Bristol Bay. As recently as July, the Corps concluded that the mine would have no measurable effect on area fish populations.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/pebble-mine-alaska/2020/11/25/bc46575c-2f41-11eb-860d-f7999599cbc2_story.html
pandr32
(11,637 posts)Mike 03
(16,616 posts)and heinous project.
I know Robert Redford is one happy man today.
Chakaconcarne
(2,478 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)As a amateur prospector,well aware of this so called Company. Environment,what environment. Just plain Nasty land Steward's.
Bayard
(22,204 posts)trump actually doing the right thing for once?
Yeehah
(4,599 posts)USACE must have higher standards than the Forest Service, that approved the massively destructive Atlantic Coast pipeline through Monongahela National Forest. Thank heavens that awful project got cancelled.
jeffreyi
(1,945 posts)groundloop
(11,530 posts)And thankfully he hasn't decimated them yet with incapable 'friends & family' appointees.
royable
(1,266 posts)The first thing is, "Yay!"
TeamPooka
(24,286 posts)EarthFirst
(2,905 posts)Fortunately sensible environmental policy and science prevailed!
The Roux Comes First
(1,300 posts)That awful mining project should have been dead long ago.
bucolic_frolic
(43,443 posts)Wouldn't Judy Shelton have been the perfect fitment for this hair-brained scheme?