Action Alert: Pebble Mine Final Environmental Impact Statement Released

The fight against the proposed Pebble mine has reached another critical milestone with the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) on Thursday, July 23, 2020.

Produced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Final EIS is the risk analysis document that should review all the potential impacts the project could bring to the people, fish, wildlife and dependent economies in southwest Alaska. More importantly, the Final EIS serves as the basis for the record of decision, which will grant or deny Pebble its most important federal permit. This decision could come as soon as August 19, 2020.

Even from reading the executive summary, it is clear that the Corps has not evaluated Pebble beyond a conceptual level plan. The Corps hasn’t fully accounted for every way Pebble would impact Bristol Bay, which is a failure of their duties under the Clean Water Act. The Final EIS can be viewed here.

In May, the National Deer Alliance (NDA), over 250 fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation businesses and organizations, and 31,000 sportsmen and women signed a letter calling on President Trump to deny Pebble the permit. The President, through the Army Corps of Engineers, still has the power to choose a powerhouse American fishery, 15,000 American jobs and a sporting paradise over a foreign mining company with a risky and incomplete plan.

NDA outlines state and federal land management and sportsmen access as two of its key focus areas. The construction of Pebble mine would represent a serious black eye on both of these focus areas. It would also significantly harm world-class fisheries and recreation, as well as the local Native Tribes and economy.

“NDA supports the protection of unique and pristine ecosystems like Bristol Bay,” said Torin Miller, NDA’s policy and outreach coordinator. “The shortcomings in the Corps’ Final EIS seriously threaten remarkable fisheries, hunting opportunities, landscapes and cultures, and we’re hopeful that President Trump will step in to halt the Pebble permitting process.”

With a record of decision issued as early as next month, we are nearing the end of the permitting process. We’ve called on the Army Corps, our Senators, and even the President to stop Pebble, and now they need to hear from people from across the country again. Head over to SaveBristoalBay.org to send a note to the White House asking President Trump to do all he can to stop Pebble in the permitting process.