A judge will hear arguments September 26 over the lawsuit which alleges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has overstepped it’s bounds.
The EPA asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit.
That lawsuit alleged the EPA invoked a rarely used process under the Clean Water Act to protect the Bristol Bay salmon fishery from large-scale mining, however the group behind the proposed Pebble Mine project and the state worries that EPA will move to veto the project before it goes through permitting.
On September 18 the EPA extended it’s timeline to February 4, 2015, for deciding its next step in the process.
EPA Attorneys along with environmental and tribal groups also want the lawsuit tossed.
Groups behind the proposed project and the state asked that arguments be held.
The EPA’s public comment period closes this evening at 8 pm.