Tuesday May 31, 2022
The Cordova Times —
Federal environmental protection officials are planning a public review and comment period on a revised proposed determination under the Clean Water Act to prohibit and restrict use of certain areas of the Bristol Bay watershed for disposal of materials from the Pebble mine.
The announcement from Region 10 of the Environmental Protection Agency included comments from top EPA officials noting the importance of environmental protections and the economic power of the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery.
EPA Region 10 plans to solicit public comment on the revised Proposed Determination at public hearings in June and by written submissions through July 5. More information on how to comment is online at epa.gov/bristolbay
The EPA announcement won kudos from opponents of the Canadian-owned mine project, and strong criticism from John Shively, chief executive officer for the Pebble Partnership, a subsidiary of the diversified global mining group Hunter Dickinson, in Vancouver, British Columbia.