A recent Supreme Court ruling poses a severe threat to our nation's lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands, and reverses over three decades of responsible mining policy.
The June ruling exempts toxic mine waste -- classified as "fill" -- from certain regulations under the Clean Water Act: legalizing its dumping in our precious waters.
Ruling is absurd, and unnecessary
Congress enacted the Clean Water Act in 1972 to protect our waterways from being used as waste disposal sites. However, in 2002, the Bush administration redefined "fill" to include industrial waste, permitting mining companies to dump toxin-laden waste material into our nation's waterways. It's unnecessary! For three decades, mining companies have been operating successfully without this type of irresponsible mine waste disposal.
Salmon. Now threatened by the 'Clean' Water Act
Ruling threatens salmon at Pebble, fisheries nationwide
This misguided decision has implications for clean water all over the country. Most immediately, to the proposed Pebble Mine in southwest Alaska, where mining giant Anglo American wants to build the nation's largest copper and gold mine at the headwaters of the world's largest wild sockeye salmon fishery! If applied in this case, the consequences to the fishery – and all who depend on it - would be devastating.
Our Bristol Bay is all about the Pebble mine proposal and the threat it consitutes to Alaskan (Bristol Bay) fisheries and the communities that depend upon them.
