FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sportsmen applaud Inspector General report of EPA conduct during Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment

January 13, 2016

Contact: 
Nelli Williams, Alaska Program Director, Trout Unlimited (907) 230-7121 or nwilliams@tu.org
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Sportsmen applaud Inspector General report of Environmental Protection Agency conduct during Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment
 
Report confirms fair and unbiased conduct by the U.S. EPA
 
ANCHORAGE, AK – Sportsmen and Bristol Bay business owners today celebrate the release of a report by an independent federal watchdog, the Inspector General, which determined the U.S. Environmental Protection agency acted fairly in its conduct during the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment, the findings of which ultimately directed the Agency to limit mining activities in Bristol Bay due to its unacceptable risk on wild salmon, clean water and a thriving fish-based economy.
 
“Bristol Bay recreation business owners and anglers are glad, but not surprised, to see the EPA cleared of any misconduct. We hope protections for the region may quickly resume so that Alaskans may continue to use and enjoy the clean waters and wild salmon of Bristol Bay for many years to come,” said Nelli Williams, director of Trout Unlimited’s Alaska Program. “The Pebble Limited Partnership has employed a series of expensive delay and deception tactics to mislead the public on the truth behind the EPA’s fair and transparent steps to protect Bristol Bay. Today’s news confirms that the proposed protections are based on science and common sense.”

In 2014, thousands of Alaskans and Americans across the political spectrum weighed in on the EPA's proposal to protect Bristol Bay clean water and wild salmon from threats posed by Pebble Mine. All told, over 99% of over 670,000 comments received by the EPA were supportive of mining restrictions within the salmon-rich region of Southwest Alaska.

###
Trout Unlimited is the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization. In Alaska, we work with sportsmen and women to ensure the state’s trout and salmon resources remain healthy far into the future through our local chapters and offices in Anchorage and Juneau. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, and visit us online at tu.org.  Learn more about our work to protect Bristol Bay at savebristolbay.org.