Biden moves to protect major Alaska watershed from mining

Biden moves to protect major Alaska watershed from mining


Humpaback whale in Bristol Bay, Alaska

Enrique Aguirre Aves | Photodisc | Getty Images

The Biden administration on Wednesday moved to ban the disposal of mining waste in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed, potentially halting the controversial Pebble Mine project that’s been disputed for more than a decade.

If finalized, the proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency would protect one of the world’s largest salmon fisheries and block a plan to mine in the southern Alaska watershed for copper, gold and other metals.

The EPA’s action to end a years-long battle between Alaska Natives and the mining industry is part of President Joe Biden’s broader goal to conserve 30% of the country’s land and waters by 2030, as well as restore biodiversity and protect wilderness from climate change.

The Bristol Bay watershed has supported critical wildlife and a $2 billion commercial fishing industry that has long sustained Alaska Native communities and attracted travelers to the region.

EPA officials, citing the Clean Water Act of 1972, found that waste associated with the mining plan could result in “unacceptable adverse effects” on the watershed’s fishery, including the permanent destruction of 8.5 miles of streams that would displace or kill the salmon.

“The Bristol Bay watershed is a shining example of how our nation’s waters are essential to healthy communities, vibrant ecosystems, and a thriving economy,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

“EPA is committed to following the science, the law, and a transparent public process to determine what is needed to ensure that this irreplaceable and invaluable resource is protected for current and future generations,” Regan said.

However, the company behind the mine plan, Pebble Limited Partnership, said it’s still working to get a permit and called the EPA’s move a “giant step backwards” for the administration’s climate change goals.

“I find it ironic that the President is using the Defense Production Act to get more renewable energy minerals such as copper into production while others in the administration seek political ways to stop domestic mining projects such as ours,” John Shively, the company’s CEO, said in a statement.

The legal determination would ban any entity from discharging waste associated with mining the Pebble deposit within the mine site footprint. The EPA is accepting public comments on the revised proposal at public hearings in June and by written submissions through July 5.



Source

Used vehicle prices ease from tariff fear-buying highs but remain elevated
Business

Used vehicle prices ease from tariff fear-buying highs but remain elevated

A Ford mustang is seen at a used car dealership in Montebello, California on May 5, 2025. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images DETROIT — Used vehicle prices last month eased from their recent high in April as consumers who may have needed a vehicle but feared price hikes due to tariffs flocked […]

Read More
Walmart plans to expand drone deliveries to three more states
Business

Walmart plans to expand drone deliveries to three more states

Walmart is bringing drone deliveries to three more states. On Thursday, the big-box retailer said it plans to launch the speedier delivery option at 100 stores in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa within the coming year. With the expansion, Walmart’s drone deliveries will be available in a total of five states: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, […]

Read More
Lululemon shares tumble 20% as it cuts full-year guidance, citing ‘dynamic macroenvironment’
Business

Lululemon shares tumble 20% as it cuts full-year guidance, citing ‘dynamic macroenvironment’

People walk past a Lululemon department store in New York City on June 5, 2024. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images Lululemon beat Wall Street expectations for fiscal first-quarter earnings Thursday, but cut its full-year earnings guidance, citing a “dynamic macroenvironment.” As the company navigates tariffs and fears about a slowing U.S. economy, CEO Calvin […]

Read More