Our Bristol Bay Blog

Anchorage editorial responds to House Republicans

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:52:36 +0000

Be sure to read the editorial in the Anchorage Daily News today, which responds to recent pressure from House Republicans from California and Georgia, against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agnecy (EPA) for the draft watershed assessment it recently completed of Alaska’s Bristol Bay. Here’s how the ADN responds:

“The EPA isn’t the issue here. Whether a world-class gold and copper mine should be in the Bristol Bay watershed is the issue. The EPA — at the request of many Alaskans — is trying to answer that question. Its people should take politics in stride and carry on, without fear or favor.”

Read the whole thing here: http://www.adn.com/2012/08/13/2587259/our-view-pebble-and-politics.html

Commercial fishermen take message to UK food magazine

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:29:42 +0000

Alaska’s commercial fishermen have taken the message about the risks to the wild salmon fishery to those that love to buy and eat salmon. A recent article and letter appear in the UK magazine – The Grocer.

Did you know that the UK is the largest importer of Bristol Bay canned salmon?

Word is out: Toxic mine spills frequent at Anglo American Mine

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:36:14 +0000

A new article in the Santiago Times describes multiple toxic spills at Anglo American’s Los Bronces mine in Chile. According to the article, a a truck transporting ammonium nitrate veered off the road near Santiago on March 28, spilling 20 tons of its toxic cargo just feet from a river feeding the Aguas Cordillera water treatment plant.

This incident was apparently not the first. There have been numerous spills, including a spill in 2011 of 790 gallons of ammonium nitrate spilling into and contaminating a nearby creek. The article quotes, “Since the arrival of Anglo American in 2000, it has become impossible to live here.”

Supermarkets Rally To Support Alaska’s Bristol Bay Fishery

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:26:10 +0000

It’s big news. For the first time ever, the Food Marketing Institute, which represents 26,000 food retail stores and $680 billion in annual revenue, has spoken out on behalf of protecting Alaska’s Bristol Bay wild salmon fishery – the largest wild salmon fishery in the world.

FMI, announced its support for an EPA study of the risks to the fishery in a recent letter to the EPA. “Since Bristol Bay is one of the world’s largest sustainable salmon fisheries, it plays an important role in the supply chain of a number of our wholesale and retail members,” said Erik Lieberman, Regulatory Counsel for FMI.

The watershed assessment is expected in April 2012. It will help determine future protective action by the EPA.

AP story shows how Pebble Partnership stone-walled agencies

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:26:53 +0000

The Pebble Partnership recently released its 27,000 pages of baseline data, but an AP story documents how PLP stone-walled agency staff who are tasked with studying the impacts.

“It’s virtually impossible to provide substantive review comments when (Pebble) doesn’t disclose more details of their development plans and their contractors only occasionally share snippets of the data they’ve collected,” Ted Otis, of the Alaska Fish and Game Department.

Anglo American’s Pebble Mine Poses High Risk to Investors

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:26:52 +0000

A new investor risk report highlights the regulatory, legal, political and engineering hurdles confronting Anglo American’s controversial Pebble mine project. “Local opposition to the Pebble mine project has translated into a barrage of legal, political and regulatory hurdles over the last year,” said Jonas Kron, analyst at Trillium Asset Management Corp. “After scrutinizing the project details, we believe there are significant risks that must be considered.” Read more here:

The Science Stacks Up Against Pebble

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:36:09 +0000

A new study concludes that Anglo American’s proposed Pebble Mine is too risky for Alaska’s Bristol Bay fishery.

“The Pebble Mine proposal dwarfs all of the existing mines put together in Alaska and would have devastating consequences for salmon, and the wildlife and humans who depend on them,” said Lance Trasky, retired Alaska Department of Fish and Game Regional Supervisor.

Full report at http://www.wildsalmoncenter.org/programs/north_america/pebblemine.php

How important is Alaska’ seafood industry?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:19:11 +0000

How important is the seafood industry to Alaska and the nation? The industry provides more than 70,500 Alaska jobs, more than oil and gas, mining, tourism and timber combined! At a glance: 62 percent of all U.S. seafood landings come from Alaska, as does 96 percent of all U.S. wild-caught salmon. Seafood is by far Alaska’s No. 1 export, valued at nearly $2 billion!

Bristol Bay shareholder opposition to Pebble Mine now 81%

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:30:53 +0000

The latest figures are in from the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, which represents roughly 9000 Bristol Bay Alaska Native shareholders. BBNC is a regional corporation created by Congress in the 1970′s.

According to a recent article, “BBNC supports responsible resource development, but opposes the Pebble project due to the risks it poses to our fisheries and our Native way of life,” Jason Metrokin, Bristol Bay chief executive.

New poll shows majority of Alaskans oppose Pebble Mine

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:26:10 +0000

It’s no surprise. A new poll from the Bristol Bay Native Corporation shows that a majority of Alaskans oppose the Pebble Mine. For details, read their press release.