FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nelli Williams, Trout Unlimited, (907) 230-7121 or nwilliams@tu.org
Trout Unlimited statement in support of Rep. Huffman appropriations amendment on proposed Pebble mine permit
In response to the introduction of an appropriations amendment by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Trout Unlimited issued the following statements:
“Taxpayer dollars have been wasted on Pebble’s permit review. The proposed Pebble mine threatens Alaskan communities, thousands of American jobs, and hundreds of family-owned businesses like mine. The inadequate and rushed permit review process currently underway is an insult to thousands of Americans who depend both on the health of Bristol Bay, and on our federal permitting process to protect existing fish-based industries. Pebble’s proposal would permanently damage the fishery and the permit review process meant to protect it has failed to fully review the risk,” said Brian Kraft, Alaskan resident and owner of two sport fishing businesses in Bristol Bay. “Federal funds are currently being used to help a Canadian-owned mining company at the expense of American jobs. Representative Huffman is right to call for a halt in funding for this permitting process.”
“The Army Corps of Engineers needs to do better when the stakes in Bristol Bay are this high. The Pebble Partnership’s permit application is incomplete and deceptive. They have not submitted an economic feasibility study like they promised and have considered only a fraction of the reasonably foreseeable impacts to the area. For a region as unique as Bristol Bay, both the Army Corps of Engineers and Pebble must be held accountable to meet a high bar. Since they are not meeting this bar, the process should be stopped,” said Nelli Williams, Alaska Director for Trout Unlimited.
The amendment will be taken up in the House Rules committee today.
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Trout Unlimited is the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s trout and salmon and their watersheds. Follow TU on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and our blog for all the latest information on trout and salmon conservation. For more information on the Save Bristol Bay campaign go to SaveBristolBay.org.