With the recent news that the Biden Administration announced a revised Proposed Determination under a section of the Clean Water Act to prohibit and restrict the use of certain waters in the Bristol Bay watershed as disposal sites for material associated with mining the Pebble Deposit, many across the state, including Alaska’s governor, are expressing displeasure, citing the potential to stop future mines in Alaska and across the country.
Governor Mike Dunleavy warned Alaskans about the implications for Alaska’s entire mining industry saying that the EPA’s action violates the intent of the Clean Water Act to place the decision under the primary authority of individual states. His office also says that the action from the EPA also breaks promises made to Alaska by the federal government in the Statehood act.
Todd Smoldon with the Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy told KSRM:
“At this point, it’s just all out war and I would say that, an economic war, of course, but the legislature the last few years has appropriated money specifically for legal battles, which we know we’re going to have to do with this federal administration. Some people claim that ‘if you just reach out the Administration, they’ll work with you and the problem is we haven’t reached out to the administration.’ We have reached out multiple times without response from this administration. Every time a Democrat is elected as President, I’m not trying to keep this bipartisan, but it’s just the fact that they try to turn Alaska into the national park for progressives. At this point, we are looking at this as a violation of the statehood act.”
Smoldon adds that people need to understand the importance of mining as a component of sustainable energy:
“The groups that want cleaner energy and, we’re having this sustainable energy conference in Anchorage right now, for some reason there is a disconnect between the mining that is necessary for that clean energy. I think some people, they plug in their car that was made from materials that mine into an outlet that has electricity generated from natural gas. There’s just this huge disconnect.”
Under the Statehood Act, congress promised that the state of Alaska would receive both ownership of minerals in the subsurface of state land. Gov. Dunleavy wants Alaskans to support a full permitting process, responsible resource development, and good jobs for the state by commenting against this proposed determination, and adds that the federal government agreed wants to break the promise made at statehood.
EPA Region 10 will solicit public comments on the revised Proposed Determination at public hearings in June and by written submissions through July 5. For more information, click here.
