New Ads Thank EPA for Vetoing Pebble Mine

Thank You Ads Running in Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Alaska

A broad, bipartisan coalition is running full page ads thanking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for stopping the Pebble Mine and restricting future mining of the Pebble deposit in Alaska’s Bristol Bay.

The ads are running in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Hill, Seattle Times, and Anchorage Daily News this week and next and follow EPA’s release of a Final Determination under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act that protects Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine. The ads are joined by groups representing Bristol Bay Tribes, commercial fishermen, sportsmen, businesses, and conservation organizations, including NRDC.

In its Final Determination, EPA stressed the importance of protecting Bristol Bay, describing it as “an area of unparalleled ecological value” and a “globally significant ecological and cultural resource.”  

As EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan put it:

The Bristol Bay watershed is a vital economic driver, providing jobs, sustenance, and significant ecological and cultural value to the region. With this action, EPA is advancing its commitment to help protect this one-of-a-kind ecosystem, safeguard an essential Alaskan industry, and preserve the way of life for more than two dozen Alaska Native villages.

Bristol Bay is home to the world’s greatest wild salmon fishery, which generates $2.2 billion annually, supports 15,000 jobs, supplies 57% of the world’s sockeye salmon, sustains Indigenous communities and cultures, and produces record-breaking salmon runs.

EPA’s decision to protect Bristol Bay is based on science, reason, and the rule of law.

“After reviewing the extensive scientific and technical record spanning two decades, EPA has determined that specific discharges associated with developing the Pebble deposit will have unacceptable and adverse effects on certain salmon fishery areas in the Bristol Bay watershed,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Our Final Determination helps prevent those adverse effects while helping protect a vibrant and magnificent watershed. It’s also important to note that EPA’s action does not apply to current or future resource development projects in Alaska.”

NRDC joins the people (and wildlife) of the region extending our sincere thanks to EPA and the Biden administration.