Full Page Ads Urge EPA to Be a Hero for Bristol Bay

Groups representing Bristol Bay Tribes, commercial fishermen, sportsmen, businesses, and conservation organizations—including NRDC—are in Washington, D.C. this week calling on the Biden Administration to protect Bristol Bay from the continuing threat of the Pebble Mine. As part of that advocacy, we ran full-page ads in today’s D.C. edition of the New York Times, Politico, and The Hill.

The ads are part of a new media campaign running this week across Washington, D.C. urging EPA to use its authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to permanently protect Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine—a gargantuan gold and copper mine proposed at the headwaters of the world’s greatest wild salmon fishery.  

The ads remind EPA that it could be a hero by vetoing the Pebble Mine.   

While in D.C., Bristol Bay Tribes, commercial fishermen, and conservation groups—including NRDC— joined Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA)—Chair of the House Natural Resources Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee and member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee—yesterday for a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.

The message delivered at the House Triangle press event was simple and aimed directly at EPA: use your authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to expeditiously issue long-term protections for Bristol Bay.    

Representative Huffman, a long-time champion of Bristol Bay, said: “We are here because it’s important right now in this moment to speak with one voice to the EPA to ask them to finish the job of providing permanent protection for this special place.” 

Thomas Tilden, Chief of the Curyung Tribal Council and Board Member of United Tribes of Bristol Bay, echoed that request, noting that the Tribes, as protectors of salmon, were in D.C. imploring EPA to “save our salmon” and “our waters.”  

“We are the greatest salmon producer in the world,” Chief Tilden said. “We want that to continue.” 

Commercial fisherman “MJ” Michael Jackson, President of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association and Advisor for Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay, focused his remarks on the record runs found only in Bristol Bay: “Last year over 66 million fish returned, this year over 73.4 million are forecasted to return. To give you an idea of how many fish that is: imagine an outline of the United States. 73 million nose to tail would go around the outline of the United States twice and then some. This is a generational opportunity to keep this going.”  

“Bristol Bay is perfect —leave it alone,” Jackson concluded. 

NRDC is pleased to once again join the Tribal, business, and community leaders from Bristol Bay urging immediate EPA action.  

“As we have for more than a decade, NRDC stands with the Tribes and fishermen of Bristol Bay here in D.C. to convey the urgency of EPA action, once and for all, to protect this irreplaceable national treasure from the destructive Pebble Mine,” said Joel Reynolds, Senior Attorney and Western Director of NRDC.  

The message to EPA couldn’t be clearer: Veto Pebble Mine. Protect Bristol Bay. Now. 

You can stand in solidarity with the Tribes, fishermen, and people of Bristol Bay by adding your voice here.