Saving Seafood

ALASKA: Pebble mine must now clear an unusually high hurdle before it can be developed, experts say

August 28, 2020 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday left a narrow path toward construction of the proposed Pebble mine in Southwest Alaska, setting stricter requirements for its development than for other big projects in Alaska, according to people familiar with permitting laws.

Whether mine developer Pebble Limited Partnership can meet the requirement will determine whether the controversial project can be built.

Following statements from prominent supporters of President Donald Trump expressing opposition to the mine proposal, including Donald Trump Jr., the Trump administration this week announced Pebble can’t be permitted “as currently proposed” under the federal Clean Water Act.

The copper and gold prospect could be worth tens of billions of dollars over its life, but critics say its location in the Bristol Bay region poses a risk to the valuable salmon fishery there.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

Trump set to block controversial Alaska gold mine

August 24, 2020 — The Trump administration is planning to block the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska early next week, six people familiar with the plans told POLITICO, marking a surprise reversal that could be the death knell for the massive copper and gold project.

Environmentalists and conservation groups have warned that the project would threaten world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery, and the move to block it comes after President Donald Trump faced pressure to nix it from an array of interests, including GOP mega-donor Andy Sabin, Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris and the his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr.

“With any government, whether it be Obama or Trump, nothing is certain until it happens and that’s just the nature of this beast,” Sabin, who has spoken directly with Trump about the proposed mine, told POLITICO. “But I’m fairly certain that you’re going to get good news.”

The Army Corps of Engineers office in Alaska is planning to hold a conference call on Monday with groups connected to the proposed mine discuss the decision, three people with knowledge of the call told POLITICO. An administration official confirmed the call with POLITICO.

Read the full story at Politico

Republican push to block controversial Alaskan gold mine gains the White House’s attention

August 21, 2020 — Federal approval of a controversial gold and copper mine in Alaska that would be the largest in North America may be put on hold after a small group of influential Republicans — including the president’s son, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a wealthy Trump donor and one of the vice president’s former top aides — launched a full-court press to block the project.

The proposed Pebble Mine was on the verge of winning a key permit from the Trump administration despite concerns from environmentalists that it could significantly damage Alaska’s world-renowned sockeye salmon fishery in nearby Bristol Bay.

That also happens to be a fishing spot of Donald Trump Jr., who made an impassioned case against the mine to his father during an early August fundraiser he hosted at his Bridgehampton, N.Y., home. Andrew Sabin, a Trump donor who was at the seaside gathering, also told the president that the mine was a bad idea. And last week, Carlson argued against the proposed mine on his television show.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

It’s Trump Jr. vs. Trump Sr. Over an Alaskan Mineral Mine

August 7, 2020 — Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s eldest son, took a break this week from his relentless Twitter attacks on Democrats to express his concern toward a different target: his father’s administration.

The younger Mr. Trump and Nick Ayers, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, tweeted on Tuesday their opposition to final government approval of the Pebble Mine, a vast gold and copper mine to be dug near salmon fisheries not far from the pristine Bristol Bay in Alaska.

The two men said they hoped the president would block development of the mine by a Canadian company in the interest of protecting the area’s sensitive environment.

“This should be stopped and I believe @POTUS will do so!” Mr. Ayers wrote.

Left unsaid was that the mine’s opening was set in motion three years ago by the president’s business-friendly administration, which has pushed the project forward ever since.

Read the full story at The New York Times

President’s son Donald Jr. on Twitter calls for blocking Alaska mine in sensitive fishing area

August 5, 2020 — The president’s namesake and the vice president’s former top staffer both tweeted Tuesday asking President Trump to block a giant gold and copper mine from being built at the headwaters of the world’s greatest sockeye salmon fishery in Alaska.

Just last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a final environmental analysis allowing a small Canadian firm to go ahead with its Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay. The Army Corps in its new report said the project would not cause grave harm to the region’s watershed.

But Nick Ayers, Vice President Pence’s former chief of staff, said in a tweet that “Like millions of conservationists and sportsmen, I am hoping @realDonaldTrump will direct @EPA to block the Pebble mine in Bristol Bay. A Canadian company will unnecessarily mine the USA’s greatest fishery at a severe cost. This should be stopped and I believe @POTUS will do so!”

Read the full story at The Washington Post