House to begin oversight of proposed Alaska mine

The potential copper-and-gold mine’s developers are worried the EPA is moving to “preemptively” veto a key permit needed to build the mine along Bristol Bay, Alaska’s watershed.

The developers, which formed the venture Pebble Limited Partnership, haven’t submitted a formal blueprint for the mine.

They say that means the EPA’s preliminary findings that the mine would destroy habitat that’s home to roughly half the world’s sockeye salmon are therefore unfounded. And industry fears that the EPA could cool investment in mining projects near watersheds across the country if it blocks Pebble without a formal plan on file.

Still, the mine’s opponents contend the EPA has plenty of information to conduct an environmental assessment.

They note the developers have submitted estimates of what they might be able dredge from the Bristol Bay region in order to attract investors.

Some lawmakers are growing impatient with the process and are pressing Pebble’s developers to submit its blueprint.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has concerns about a preemptive veto from the EPA. But she nonetheless has urged Pebble’s developers to hand over its formal plan to get the application out of neutral.