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    Bristol Bay Lodges Letter To USACE

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    Grant Robinson
    The letter is from several Alaskan lodge and fishing business owners urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to suspend their review of the proposed Pebble Mine project due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They request that the Corps prioritize responding to the health and welfare needs of local communities over advancing the project. Tribes and agencies needed for input are focused on addressing the pandemic and cannot adequately comment on the project within current deadlines. The businesses argue any large mining proposal in the Bristol Bay region must not risk the fisheries or communities and should only proceed with local approval.

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    Bristol Bay Lodges Letter To USACE

    Uploaded by

    Grant Robinson
    51 views3 pages
    The letter is from several Alaskan lodge and fishing business owners urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to suspend their review of the proposed Pebble Mine project due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They request that the Corps prioritize responding to the health and welfare needs of local communities over advancing the project. Tribes and agencies needed for input are focused on addressing the pandemic and cannot adequately comment on the project within current deadlines. The businesses argue any large mining proposal in the Bristol Bay region must not risk the fisheries or communities and should only proceed with local approval.

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    Bristol Bay lodges letter to USACE.

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    Bristol Bay lodges letter to USACE

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    The letter is from several Alaskan lodge and fishing business owners urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to suspend their review of the proposed Pebble Mine project due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They request that the Corps prioritize responding to the health and welfare needs of local communities over advancing the project. Tribes and agencies needed for input are focused on addressing the pandemic and cannot adequately comment on the project within current deadlines. The businesses argue any large mining proposal in the Bristol Bay region must not risk the fisheries or communities and should only proceed with local approval.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    51 views3 pages

    Bristol Bay Lodges Letter To USACE

    Uploaded by

    Grant Robinson
    The letter is from several Alaskan lodge and fishing business owners urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to suspend their review of the proposed Pebble Mine project due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They request that the Corps prioritize responding to the health and welfare needs of local communities over advancing the project. Tribes and agencies needed for input are focused on addressing the pandemic and cannot adequately comment on the project within current deadlines. The businesses argue any large mining proposal in the Bristol Bay region must not risk the fisheries or communities and should only proceed with local approval.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    Iguigig Lodge

    Wild Fly Pursuits

    April 15, 2020

    Via Email to:


    LTG Todd T. Semonite 54th Chief of Engineers Commanding General, USACE
    Todd.T.Semonite@usace.army.mil
    The Honorable R.D. James Ass’t Sec of the Army (Civil Works) U.S. Department of the Army via
    ryan.a.fisher12.civ@mail.mil
    Thomas J. Tickner, PMP Brigadier General Commander, USACE Pacific Ocean Division
    Thomas.J.Tickner@usace.army.mil

    Dear LTG Semonite, Assistant Secretary James, and Brigadier General Tickner:

    We are extremely concerned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) continue to advance the Final
    Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Pebble Mine as local communities, cooperating
    partners and small businesses like ours grapple to keep our families, employees and communities safe
    during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.

    We urge you and your staff to be responsive to this global pandemic, be sensitive to the challenges that
    our remote villages and businesses face, and prioritize the health and welfare of the public by staying
    the Corps’ review of the proposed mine until after this health crisis is over. Several cooperating
    agencies and consulting entities whose input is crucial to filling the numerous gaps identified during the
    draft EIS are working overtime to make sure they are prepared to meet the current and future health
    and safety needs of their tribes and villages, and as a result have been unable to provide the feedback
    and input necessary for a fully informed final EIS. They should not be asked to divert their limited
    resources away from COVID-19 response to address already taxing EIS comment deadlines.

    Any large mining proposal in the Bristol Bay region must adhere to the most stringent standards, cannot
    risk the region’s world-class fisheries or its communities, and should only be allowed to progress, if at
    all, with the input from local tribes and communities. This is especially true for the proposed Pebble
    mine, which poses unique concerns and has raised sharp criticism from numerous federal and state
    agencies, tribes, and the public. The Corps’ review of the proposed Pebble mine must take a backseat to
    responding to the health and welfare of our country, communities and families.

    We were told by your staff on March 16 your intent to remain on track to issue a FEIS this summer over
    requests from tribes and other cooperating agencies for more time to allow them to address the health
    needs of their communities. While we remain steadfast in our belief that the permit application for the
    proposed Pebble mine does not satisfy applicable regulatory and statutory standards, and should be
    denied, advancing review of the application without adequate accommodation for cooperating agencies
    that are already struggling to address local health needs is irresponsible. We urge you to put the needs
    of our country, communities and families first, and suspend the Corps’ review of the proposed Pebble
    mine until after the current health crisis is behind us.

    Sincerely,

    Daren & Tracy Erickson Martin Kviteng


    Alaska’s Enchanted Lake Lodge Alaska's Fishing Unlimited, Inc.
    King Salmon/Eagle River, AK Port Alsworth, AK
    enchantedlake@earthlink.net info@alaskalodge.com

    John Holman Brian Kraft


    No See Um Lodge Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge
    Kvichak River/Wasilla, AK Anchorage/Igiugig, AK
    john@noseeumlodge.com bkraft@alaskasportsmanslodge.com

    Phil, Rochelle Harrison Heath and Nanci Lyon


    and Tia Shoemaker Bear Trail Lodge
    Grizzly Skins of Alaska King Salmon, AK 99613
    Kejulik River/ Wasilla, AK gofish@bristolbay.com
    grizskins@gmail.com
    Chuck Ash Chris and Linda Branham
    Anchorage, AK Royal Wolf Lodge
    Wild Fly Pursuits King Salmon/Anchorage, AK
    wildflyak@gmail.com branham@royalwolf.com

    Marty Decker Tracy Vrem


    Frontier River Guides Blue Mountain Lodge
    Anchorage, AK Becherof Lake, AK
    info@frontierriverguides.com tracy@bluemountainlodge.com
    Brad & Brenda Waitman Paul Hansen
    Igiugig Lodge, LLC Alaska Rainbow Adventures
    Igiugig, AK Wasilla, AK
    paul@mtaonline.net

    Dan and Pat Vermillion Rus and Carrie Schwausch


    Sweetwater Travel “Worldwide Fly Fishing EPIC Angling & Adventure
    Travel”dan@sweetwatertravel.com rus@epicanglingadventure.com

    Jerry Jacques Taj Shoemaker


    Bristol Bay Sportfishing and Adventures Island Air Service
    Iliamna, AK Kodiak, AK
    jacquesak@aol.com taj@flyadq.com

    Indy & Stephanie Walton John Perry


    Last Cast Lodge Angler's Alibi Alaska
    Igiugig, AK King Salmon, AK
    indywalton@yahoo.com jpduck02@yahoo.com

    John Hohl Patricia Edel


    Alaska Fly Anglers, Inc. Blue Fly
    King Salmon/Kodiak, AK King Salmon, AK
    hohljohn@yahoo.com fishbluefly@gmail.com

    Joe Hyde Dan Oberlatz


    Copper River Lodge Alaska Alpine Adventures
    Iliamna, AK Anchorage, AK
    info@copperriverlodge.com dan@alaskaalpineadventures.com

    Katmai Service Providers Mike McDowell


    President - Brian Kraft Kvichak Lodge
    info@katmaipark.org Igiugig/Anchorage, AK
    mikemcdowell2002@yahoo.com

    Pat Vermillion Wayne and Jacob McGee


    Royal Coachman Lodge Alaska Trophy Adventure Lodge
    Dillingham, AK King Salmon, AK
    pat@sweetwatertravel.com atalodge.wayne@gmail.com

    Steve Laurent Trout Unlimited Alaska


    Bristol Bay Lodge Nelli Williams
    Dillingham/Anchorage, AK Anchorage, AK
    nwilliams@tu.org

    Cc:
    Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan

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