Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a Final Determination for Clean Water Act 404(c) safeguards for Bristol Bay, Alaska.

In December, 2022, conservation easements were established on 44,000 acres of Pedro Bay Corporation land to protect critical fish and wildlife habitat and maintain subsistence and recreation opportunities on the north end of Lake Iliamna. The easements will not only protect the important salmon habitat, but to also prevent an industrial-scale road that the Pebble Mine project desires to build on the Corporation’s land to connect the proposed mine site to Cook Inlet on the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Happy Nguyen

On December 1st, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its Recommended Determination for Bristol Bay. This is the furthest we’ve gotten in the Clean Water Act 404(c) process to achieve durable protections for Bristol Bay. Photo: Colin Arisman

Bristol Bay’s traditional advocates- the Indigenous Peoples of Bristol Bay, Tribes, sportfish and hunting business owners, guides, commercial fishermen, and Alaskans statewide- were joined by some nontraditional voices in the Clean Water Act comment period this summer and fall. Read the comments here. Photo: Mountain Mind Media

While fish were swimming in to Bristol Bay waters by the millions this summer, public comments were also streaming into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In ~100 days, over half a million comments were submitted in support of Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay.

With only a few weeks left in the EPA comment period for proposed Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay, we’ve compiled the top three reasons why these safeguards should be finalized as soon as possible. Photo: Fly Out Media

On May 26th, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published revisions to proposed Clean Water Act protections for Bristol Bay, kicking off a public comment period. Since then, residents in Bristol Bay and allies nationwide have been outspoken in their support for these protections, requesting that they be finalized as soon as possible.

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its revised Proposed Determination for Bristol Bay as part of the Clean Water Act 404(c) process. This is a huge step forward in ensuring the Pebble cannot return in the future. Now, EPA has opened a 40 day comment period for the public to weigh in on the revisions to proposed protections.

Bristol Bay has had a long history with the Clean Water Act. Read why we want EPA to use its authority to finalize safeguards for the Pebble deposit area of Bristol Bay and where we are in the process to make it happen.

Alaskan mothers, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, and friends of the next generation in Bristol Bay have been some of the biggest opponents of the formerly proposed Pebble mine. Now, they are calling on Senator Murkowski and the Environmental Protection Agency to advance durable safeguards for clean water and healthy fish habitat for the next generation in Bristol Bay.

Even with Pebble’s permit being denied, Bristol Bay is not safe, and we have just seen the first example of the new reality for Bristol Bay: a new mineral exploration permit for the Groundhog project, adjacent to the Pebble deposit.