Photos courtesy of Jim Klug.
“Imagine an open pit mine in the remote wild lands of Alaska that covers an area 50 percent larger than Manhattan, with dams the height of Hoover Dam, and the potential to hold more than 7 billion tons of waste.
That is exactly what could happen if foreign-owned companies are allowed to build the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed. This pristine system of rivers and lakes is home to the largest runs of sockeye salmon in the world. These salmon support recreational sport fishing and allow Native Alaskans to maintain their centuries-old way of life.
The future of these remarkably productive and irreplaceable Alaska lands could be changed forever by the prospective Pebble Mine or other large-scale mining activities, unless the Obama administration decides to protect the rivers and wetlands of the region. That decision will rest on the results of a Clean Water Act assessment that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently conducting.” – PEW Charitable Trusts
UPDATE: The EPA will continue taking public comment on this important issue until June 30th. Make your comment today.
The EPA is taking public comment until May 31st on this important issue – please make sure your voice is heard today and send a comment to the EPA here.
Let the EPA know you support their effort to conduct a thorough, science-based analysis of the impact that large-scale industrial mining, such as the proposed Pebble Mine, would have on the Bristol Bay watershed. Ask them to take the necessary steps to preserve one of the earth’s last unspoiled ecosystems.
