EPA Takes Steps to Restrict Pebble Mine Project in Alaska

Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/environment/alaska-gold/epa-takes-
step-to-restrict-pebble-mine-project-in-alaska/
Author: James M. Breslow
Article Published Date: March 3, 2014
The Pebble Limited Partnership, company is leading a large copper and gold mine
project in Bristol Bay, Alaska. According to the findings the copper and gold deposits in
the proposed mining site is valued as high as $500 billion. The Pebble Partnership has
outlined plans for an open-pit mine which would be as much as 2 miles wide and 1,700
foot deep. Bristol Bay, Alaska is the largest sockeye salmon fishery which is a habitat
for about 50 percent of the worlds sockeye salmon. The fishery generates an estimated
$480 million in annual revenue.
The proposed mining project is opposed by the local tribes, fishermen, and
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Based on the extensive study done by EPA, it
believes that the Pebble Mine would cause significant and irreversible negative impact
on the Bristol Bay watershed and its abundant salmon fisheries. The Pebble Partnership
however, does not agree with EPA on its findings. The company argues that the mine
and the fisheries can coexist without causing any harm to the fishes and the
environment. The company mentioned that the project plan also includes creation of
tailing ponds that would collect and secure the waste after the extraction of copper and
gold. According to them the tailing ponds would be designed to hold the waste forever
and not allow any seepage that could cause contamination of the water. Both Pebble
Partnership and EPA and confident about their findings so, Pebble Partnership is
moving ahead with the permitting process and in the meanwhile EPA initiated a process
to restrict the mining project using the provision of the Clean Water Act.
The Pebble Mine project is a good example of how companies such as Pebble
Partnership face challenges by environmental forces. Pebble Partnership is currently
facing political, legal and regulatory, and sociocultural forces. EPA is a federal
government agency that exists with the sole purpose of protecting the environment.
EPA is using the federal law, Clean Water Act to restrict Pebble Partnership from
continuing its mining activity. Fishing provides fulltime living for many local tribes and
fishermen so it is part of their culture. The project as large as Pebble Mine would create
a lot of jobs and generate large amount of revenues however, it is not easy for a
company to get the permits to start the mining when there are many environmental
forces opposing it. In response to the environmental forces Pebble Partnership released
commercial that highlight almost all the places where copper is used which includes our
appliances, automobiles, and house hold items as well. The Pebble Partnership has
also conducted an extensive study and released 27,000 pages document to the public
to prove that the mine and the fisheries can coexist. The extensive study would also
provide support in the permitting process.