Despite obtaining Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay, our work is far from over. Learn why here.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a Final Determination for Clean Water Act 404(c) safeguards for Bristol Bay, Alaska.

In December, 2022, conservation easements were established on 44,000 acres of Pedro Bay Corporation land to protect critical fish and wildlife habitat and maintain subsistence and recreation opportunities on the north end of Lake Iliamna. The easements will not only protect the important salmon habitat, but to also prevent an industrial-scale road that the Pebble Mine project desires to build on the Corporation’s land to connect the proposed mine site to Cook Inlet on the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Happy Nguyen

On December 1st, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its Recommended Determination for Bristol Bay. This is the furthest we’ve gotten in the Clean Water Act 404(c) process to achieve durable protections for Bristol Bay. Photo: Colin Arisman

Bristol Bay’s traditional advocates- the Indigenous Peoples of Bristol Bay, Tribes, sportfish and hunting business owners, guides, commercial fishermen, and Alaskans statewide- were joined by some nontraditional voices in the Clean Water Act comment period this summer and fall. Read the comments here. Photo: Mountain Mind Media

While fish were swimming in to Bristol Bay waters by the millions this summer, public comments were also streaming into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In ~100 days, over half a million comments were submitted in support of Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay.