Bristol Bay Tribes call for permanent protections while welcoming permit denial

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Contact:
Lindsay Layland, UTBB Deputy Director,  llayland@utbb.org

Bristol Bay Tribes call for permanent protections while welcoming permit denial

DILLINGHAM, AK – Bristol Bay Tribes and others are celebrating today’s news that the Army Corps of Engineers will deny Pebble’s major federal permit, as the decision reflects the sound science and overwhelming public opposition to this toxic project.

Today’s welcome news also bolsters Bristol Bay’s decades long call for permanent protections to the Bristol Bay Watershed. While the Pebble Partnership has suffered a major setback, the threat of toxic large-scale hard rock mining will continue to loom over Bristol Bay until permanent protections are secured for the region. Future generations should not have to live with the threat of mining developments that would devastate our cultures, communities, and existing economies. We must ensure that Bristol Bay’s pristine lands and waters are protected in perpetuity. The fact that this permit denial comes from a pro-development administration speaks volumes to the need for strong, permanent protections for the Bristol Bay watershed and all it sustains.

UTBB Board President Robert Heyano made the following statement:

“The people of Bristol Bay have long known that our home is no place for a mine like Pebble. Today, we celebrate the appropriate action taken by the USACE in finally acknowledging this underlying truth: Pebble’s proposal is too toxic for our region and cannot be built without devastating the environment that sustains our cultures and communities. But our work is not done. We will continue to advocate for permanent protections for Bristol Bay until we are sure that our pristine lands and waters will remain intact for our children’s children and all future generations. A big quyana to all those who have worked to stop this toxic project and to those who will continue to fight for Bristol Bay.”

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United Tribes of Bristol Bay is a tribal consortium representing 15 Bristol Bay tribal governments (that represent over 80 percent of the region’s total population) working to protect the Yup’ik, Dena'ina, and Alutiiq way of life in Bristol Bay.