The Trump administration has settled a long-running legal dispute over the proposed Pebble gold and copper mine in Alaska, allowing the Canadian-owned company to seek a federal permit to develop the project near Bristol Bay, one of the world's most important salmon fisheries. The settlement, announced on Friday, has been met with dismay from conservation groups and local communities who fear the mine will cause significant environmental harm.
Bristol Bay produces nearly half of the world's wild sockeye salmon catch, supporting around 14,000 full and part-time workers. Indigenous communities, including the Yup'ik and Dena'ina peoples, have relied on the bay's salmon for food and social structure for more than 4,000 years. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) warned that the mine could create 10 billion tons of waste that could contaminate the headwaters of the bay.
The Pebble mine is forecast to create about 1,000 jobs, but opponents argue that the economic benefits do not outweigh the risks. “Bristol Bay is too important – economically, environmentally, and culturally – to be sacrificed for the sake of a mine,” said Taryn Kiekow Heimer, senior policy analyst at NRDC. Norman Van Vactor of the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation suggested that further legal battles and protests, including “standing in front of bulldozers”, could follow.
The dispute dates back to 2014, when an EPA study concluded that large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay watershed posed significant risks to salmon. The EPA had proposed restrictions on development, but they were never finalised. The company accused the EPA of colluding with mine opponents, though an inspector general review found no evidence of improper conduct. Under the settlement, the EPA will withdraw its proposed restrictions and allow Pebble to pursue a permit under the Clean Water Act.
Northern Dynasty Minerals, owner of the Pebble deposit, welcomed the deal. Chief executive Ron Thiessen said the company would now receive “a fair and predictable permitting review”. Tom Collier, chief executive of Pebble, said the latest mine design would be smaller than previously envisioned, with new initiatives to reduce environmental impact. The mine has been opposed by environmental activists including actor Robert Redford, and several multinational jewelers have pledged not to use minerals from the site.
