Since the outbreak of the novel COVID-19 virus, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the agency tasked with reviewing the permit application for the proposed Pebble mine) has repeatedly said they will not adjust or pause the permit review timeline for the project.
While everyone from community leaders in Bristol Bay to our elected officials in Washington have their attention on keeping Alaskans safe, the Army Corps advances a fast-tracked review of a project that brings significant risk to the people, fish, and robust fish-based economies of the Bristol Bay region.
Today, we received further confirmation the Corps has been asked to fast-track Pebble’s permits by the State of Alaska and Governor Dunleavy. Alaskans, click here to contact the Governor’s office about this today.
On April 15, 2020, the State of Alaska wrote a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asking them to stick to its rushed review of Pebble’s permit even amid COVID-19, calling the Pebble project “important to Alaskans." This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Alaskans have overwhelmingly opposed Pebble for nearly a decade. In Bristol Bay, the opposition is higher - around 85%. Many communities of Bristol Bay have recently expressed their most important priority remains keeping Alaskans safe from COVID-19. Letters from Bristol Bay groups, including Curyung Tribal Council, have made repeated requests for the Army Corps of Engineers to halt their permit review process until after the health crisis has ended.
First Chief Thomas Tilden wrote in a letter to the Army Corps:
"Time spent focusing on [comments] for the proposed Pebble mine meant less time for us to focus on what we needed to do to protect the health and safety of our tribal members and our own families."
Nonetheless, the Army Corps of Engineers and Governor Dunleavy have ignored these requests and continue pushing the process forward.
Furthermore, the state calling on Pebble mine as a need in difficult economic times makes no sense. Even if the permit were granted, the mine would still be years from operating. Meanwhile, there is plenty to be done to lift up local existing businesses that could have immediate impact, not to mention safeguarding a fishery that provides more than 14,000 jobs and a $1.5 billion sustainable industry for the state.
The Army Corps must turn their full attention to helping Alaskans address the current threat of COVID-19. Today, Governor Dunleavy needs to hear from Alaskans — again —that we remain opposed to the proposed Pebble mine due to its threat to jobs, cultures and one of the most productive wild salmon fisheries on the planet in Bristol Bay.