There is something wrong, very wrong – by J.P. Tangen (North of 60 Mining News – June 3, 2022)

https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency, citing section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act, announced its intention to prohibit the use of the Bristol Bay watershed for discharging dredged or fill material from the Pebble Project. Both of our Senators issued statements giving qualified support for the proposed decision.

Senator Murkowski, however, took the position that she has “never supported a blanket, preemptive approach for any project” recognizing “that this could be used as a precedent to target resource development projects across our state.”

Senator Sullivan, similarly, stated that he endorsed EPA’s position although he has “consistently opposed the EPA’s pursuit of preemptive authority over resource development projects on state lands in Alaska …” Despite their hearts being in the right place, it appears that their heads have somehow been turned in the wrong direction.

Senator Murkowski, for instance, seems to have bought into the conclusion that the Bristol Bay fishery would be at risk if the Pebble Project were to go forward. This perception seems to be grounded on something other than the facts. The Pebble Project has been studied and studied and studied again, and the science supporting blocking the mine for this reason is simply not there.

For the rest of this column: https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/story/2022/06/03/opinion/there-is-something-wrong-very-wrong/7404.html