the fight for bristol bay isn’t over yet.

anglers and the recreational fishing industry were critical in stopping the pebble mine in 2020. Now, we fight for permanent protections for bristol bay.

Please submit an official comment to EPA below.

The Bristol Bay region of Alaska is one of the most sought after destinations for anglers across the planet. Every year, sport anglers flock to southwest Alaska to chase trophy rainbow trout and the millions of salmon that swim through the region’s gin-clear streams. For the last two decades, Bristol Bay was gravely threatened by the proposed Pebble mine, a copper and gold mining plan put forward by Canadian mining company Northern Dynasty Minerals. Despite coming as close as ever to obtaining its key federal permit in 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listened to what locals, anglers, lodge owners, Tribes, commercial fishermen, scientists, lawyers and wild fish advocates had been saying for years, and denied the permit for the proposed Pebble mine. Read more about the permit denial.

While the proposed mine is virtually stopped, we know that Bristol Bay isn’t safe yet. Pebble has already filed an appeal to try to overturn the decision, and review is pending. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated a process under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to prohibit and restrict mine waste discharge in to Bristol Bay waters, which would effectively stop hard rock mining in the Pebble Deposit area. EPA is currently reviewing proposed protections, and accepting public comment until Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Until there are durable and legal community-supported protections in place, Pebble (or other mining companies) will continue to try to develop Bristol Bay in to an industrial mining district.

orvis is committed to durable safeguards for bristol bay

The sportfishing industry was incredibly loud in 2020 leading up to the permit denial, making it clear to decision-makers that a mine like Pebble was unacceptable in Bristol Bay. Orvis is supporting Clean Water Act protections for Bristol Bay to ensure that Pebble cannot return in the future, as well as Congressional legislation that will ensure another mine cannot threaten the people, fish and fish-based industries of Bristol Bay.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

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