With the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed Pebble mine last week, we have now entered the final period before a decision will be made to issue or deny Pebble’s most important federal permit.

The decision is in the upper most hands of the Trump Administration. We are counting on those of you who support Bristol Bay to help remind the president that Pebble’s permit must be denied- send a letter today. Yes, even if you’ve done so in the past.

The list of reasons to deny Pebble its key federal permit is endless, but we’ve narrowed it down to ten top reasons why President Trump must reject the Canadian mining company with a risky and incomplete plan in salmon country.

1.Locals have said no to this project for nearly a decade. “What do local residents in Bristol Bay think about the mine?" We hear this question again and again, and we appreciate it. Of the nearly 8,000 Bristol Bay residents, roughly 80% have stated opposition to the mine, and have spoken out in comment periods, public hearings, and numerous other opportunities for public input over the past decade. Local opposition, as well as the ~60% statewide opposition for the project, has been consistent among commercial fishermen, sportsmen, tribal members, and Alaskans across the board.

2. Bristol Bay is unlike any other region on the planet. Bristol Bay is unique because it produces more than 50% of the world’s sockeye salmon catch. With streams that run red with fish every year, the pristine habitat also supports the largest concentration of brown bears and one of two freshwater seal populations on the planet, as well as caribou, moose, eagles and more. Bristol Bay is truly one of the wildest places we have left with miles of untouched wilderness that are free of roads, fences and development. It should be kept that way.

3. When it seems like we can’t agree on anything the need to safeguard Bristol Bay is universal across the country and political spectrum. In Bristol Bay, commercial fishermen, sport fishermen, and traditional Native fishermen have all put aside longstanding differences in order to help stop Pebble and safeguard the fishery they each value. The issue allows both environmentalists and conservative sportsmen and women to stand shoulder to shoulder when comes to safeguarding a powerhouse fishery. Republicans and Democrats alike know that Pebble would be a bad return on investment and unproven to turn a profit. The overwhelming opposition to this project from people across the political spectrum and from diverse backgrounds shows that it is universally seen as a bad idea and reiterates the need for permit denial.

4. The Bristol Bay fishery is one of the last salmon and strongholds, even in the state of Alaska. Nearing the end of the 2020 season, even while sockeye runs struggled across the state of Alaska, Bristol Bay had another solid run. Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association and Bristol Bay Fisheries Report showed Bristol Bay fishermen caught more sockeye in two days than all other Alaska regions have produced all season. The salmon feed brown bears, trophy rainbow trout and other fish that put the region on the bucket lists for tourists and anglers from around the world.

5. The fish based industries in Bristol Bay have huge economic benefits for Alaska and the United States. The Bristol Bay commercial fishery is worth $1.5 billion annually, and supports roughly 14,000 jobs of fishermen, cannery operators, processors and more. The Bristol Bay recreational fishery boasts a $150 million annual economy and 1,000 jobs each year for guides, lodge operators, pilots and others. The Bristol Bay and Cook Inlet bear tourism industry continues to grow, contributing a $35 million annual economy and approximately 500 jobs in the region. All of these industries and economies are based on a healthy and robust salmon fishery and cannot coexist with the proposed Pebble mine.

6. 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. The phase-one plan for Pebble would permanently impact 185 miles of critical fish habitat and 3,841 of wetlands in the headwaters of Bristol Bay. At face value, with no accidents, leaks, or spills, Pebble will still cause irreparable harm to a unique and fragile ecosystem. Given the size of the proposed mine and the hydrological and geological components of the region, as well as holes and missing information in the risk mitigation plans of the FEIS, the likelihood that further damage would happen to the fishery is nearly guaranteed.

7. The company behind Pebble hasn’t proven the mine’s economic feasibility. Northern Dynasty Minerals, the sole member of the Pebble Limited “Partnership”, have yet to submit an economic feasibility study proving that their mine would turn a profit. In a July 27th press conference, former Rio Tinto mining and permitting expert Richard Borden noted that at this stage of the permitting process, Northern Dynasty Minerals would release an economic feasibility report if they believed their plan would make money. Dr. Dave Chambers, who has 40 years of experience in mineral exploration and development, also notes that it is highly abnormal that Pebble hasn’t released this report by now.

8. A tailings dam failure is possible in a seismically active location, yet the permit analysis doesn’t account for it. Mining operations around the globe (including in Brazil in 2019) have shown that catastrophic failure of a tailings facility can be environmentally and economically catastrophic and fatal to human lives. In a place like Bristol Bay, which sits on the Ring of Fire and near active fault lines, Pebble has proposed to build an earthen dam that would hold back 10.8 billion tons of toxic (acid-generating) mining waste (otherwise known as tailings). Pebble has promised its mine technology has been built to withstand a 6.5 magnitude earthquake. However, that premise is untested and the 7.3 earthquake on the Alaska Peninsula earlier this month shows that current plans do not accommodate for the seismic reality of the region. Further reason to be concerned? A tailings dam failure was fully excluded from the FEIS. The Army Corps claimed that it didn’t need to be considered because they weren’t required to analyze a “worst case scenario” under National Environmental Policy Act requirements.

Scenes from the Brumadinho mine disaster in Brazil in 2019.

9. The project under permit review continues to change. Just two months before the release of the FEIS for Pebble, the Army Corps announced the fifth major project change for Pebble. The “least environmentally damaging practicable alternative” moved the proposed transportation corridor that originally crossed Iliamna Lake via an ice breaking ferry, to a new route that now plans for a road around the north end of the lake. This major project change did not trigger further scientific analysis of environmental impacts or allow for any more public input or comment - both are unacceptable.

Worst of all, these new project changes would require Pebble to be access land owned by local village councils and Tribal groups where its roads, pipelines and ports are proposed. These groups have clearly stated that they will not grant Pebble access because of their longstanding opposition to the project, yet Pebble remains confident they will gain permission by bribes like the Pebble Performance Dividend.

The north access route is the 5th significant project change for Pebble. Map: Army Corps of Engineers

10. Local people have said no to this project for nearly two decades. (We know we already said this. It gets two spots, because it’s important.) Bottom line, the permit should be denied because Bristol Bay residents, Tribes, Alaskans and people across the country have overwhelmingly said “No.”

Alone, each of these pieces give justification for denying Pebble’s permit. Together, they show the overwhelmingly opposition to the Pebble project and inadequacies of the permit review process.

Join us today and demand that immediate action be taken by Congress and the White House to deny Pebble's permit. Your voice can help safeguard the people, fish and fish-based industries in Bristol Bay. Take action today.