Anchorage, Alaska – The Pebble Deposit in Southwest Alaska contains world-class amounts of copper, molybdenum, rhenium, and gold. Today, the EPA announced it was proposing restrictions that would almost assuredly end development opportunities for the mine.
"The EPA's announcement this morning is a blatantly political move that completely ignores both science and public process," noted Rick Whitbeck, Power The Future's Alaska State Director. "The EPA laughingly stated that science is behind the decision, but it's clear the only science they follow is political science. The EPA was intimately involved with the review process and the Army Corps of Engineers' determination that the mine would not harm the salmon fishery," Whitbeck continued. "The only 'determination' that the EPA has made is to agree to interject itself and further politicize a process that hasn't yet played out. Alaskans should be outraged, as Pebble – based on science – will never impact the Bristol Bay fishery, but will provide hundreds of jobs, along with millions of tons of domestic supplies of minerals needed for renewable energy products. The EPA's decision today takes away the hopes of Indigenous Alaskans, who trust Pebble to deliver on its promises. The decision today is abhorrent, and every Alaskan should demand the EPA stop short of finalizing its proposed actions."
Power The Future is a 501c4 non-profit dedicated to fighting for American energy workers, including those in Southwest Alaska.