New scientific report concludes Pebble Mine is a monumental gamble that risks too much.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Portland, Ore.<\/em> \u2013 The proposed Pebble Mine would siphon as much as 35 billion gallons of fresh water out of the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska every year, eliminating critical salmon habitat, and would likely facilitate the development of a much larger mining district, further endangering the world\u2019s largest wild sockeye salmon fishery, according to a new, comprehensive report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two bear cubs follow their mother along Bristol Bay, Alaska | \u00a9 Ben Knight<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBristol Bay\u2019s Wild Salmon Ecosystems and the Pebble Mine: Key Considerations for a Large-Scale Mine Proposal,\u201d examines the potential impacts of the proposed Pebble Mine on Bristol Bay\u2019s wild salmon fishery, which produces up to 40 million mature wild salmon each year. The 111-page report, produced by the Wild Salmon Center and Trout Unlimited, details multiple issues and concerns driven by the potential exploitation of Pebble\u2019s massive deposit of copper, gold, and molybdenum. Examining a wide body of studies, reports, and the best available scientific information, the report analyzes preliminary proposals for the mine, concluding there is too much at stake ecologically, economically, and culturally to risk development of the Pebble deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis report shows the far-reaching impacts that development of the Pebble deposit would have on Bristol Bay\u2019s world-class salmon fishery and largely pristine watersheds,\u201d said Guido Rahr, President of the Wild Salmon Center. \u201cIn addition to risks posed by the chronic leaching of contaminants or a catastrophic failure, the proposed mine would substantially alter the hydrology, water table, and available habitat for salmon, which are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bristol Bay basin is one of the top producing wild Pacific salmon systems in the world, yielding up to 40 million mature salmon each year | \u00a9 Jonny Armstrong<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The report emphasizes that approval of the Pebble Mine and its infrastructure will likely lead to the development of a much larger mining district, substantially increasing the odds that mining will harm Bristol Bay\u2019s wild salmon ecosystem. An unprecedented coalition of Alaska Native tribes and corporations, sportsmen, commercial fishermen and others have asked the EPA to protect Bristol Bay by withdrawing the watershed as a disposal site for dredge and fill activities under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act. The EPA is currently conducting a scientific assessment of the Bristol Bay watershed to determine whether large-scale development would adversely impact the region\u2019s natural resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis report confirms what hunters and anglers from Alaska to Maine are most worried about \u2013 Pebble Mine will damage a place that is a critical part of America’s sporting heritage,\u201d said Shoren Brown, Alaska campaign director for Trout Unlimited. \u201cIt provides a thorough analysis of the mine\u2019s potential impacts and makes a compelling case for why a 404(c) process is necessary to protect Bristol Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preliminary proposals and studies presented by developers indicate that the Pebble Mine:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Contains ore that has a high likelihood of generating acid mine drainage, which is severely harmful to salmon and other aquatic species;<\/li>
Will produce up to 10.8 billion tons of waste rock, requiring miles of tailings dams initially proposed up to 740 feet high;<\/li>
May use 35 billion gallons of fresh water per year, more than three times the usage of Anchorage, Alaska\u2019s largest city; and<\/li>
Will construct multiple sources of contamination, including: an open pit and underground mine, an 86 mile road and pipeline route, a deep-water port and other infrastructure.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Nushagak River. Bristol Bay, Alaska | \u00a9 Ryan Peterson<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the infrastructure required to exploit the Pebble deposit has led to additional mining claims, creating a mining district which spans 793 square miles within the Bristol Bay basin, an area 10 times larger than Washington D.C. The report also presents several case studies in which mining companies polluted surrounding waters and left expensive cleanup costs to American taxpayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lance Trasky, retired Alaska Department of Fish and Game Regional Supervisor and one of the report\u2019s primary contributing authors added: \u201cThe Bristol Bay watershed and its tributary streams are a powerhouse of wild sockeye salmon production \u2013 the very best in the world. The Pebble Mine proposal dwarfs all of the existing mines put together in Alaska and, if constructed, will have devastating consequences for salmon, as well as the wildlife and humans who depend on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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