[ad_1]
The US Army Corp of Engineers on Wednesday officially blocked a decades-long fight to open the controversial Pebble Mine, located near the world’s largest natural salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
The Army Corp said in a statement that it had determined that the company’s plans for how to dispose of waste materials “did not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines and concluded that the proposed project is contrary to the public interest “.
“This action is based on all available facts and is in accordance with existing laws and regulations,” the Corps added. “This reflects a fair, flexible and balanced regulatory process.”
The mine, run by Pebble Limited Partnership, a US subsidiary of Canadian mining company Northern Dynasty Minerals, was to be a massive gold and copper excavation project, as deep as the Grand Canyon and would create waste that would fill 3,900 furlongs. football match, Market Watch reported Wednesday.
“One of the real tragedies of this decision is the loss of economic opportunities for people living in the region,” mining company CEO John Shively said in a statement following the decision. “The EIA clearly describes these benefits, and now a politically motivated decision has taken away the hope many had for a better life.”
While the Pebble Mine was a controversial struggle, it was not an argument that further divided Democrats and Republicans, but rather conservationists and energy lobbyists within the Republican Party.
President Trump hesitated on the subject, although his son, Donald Trump Jr., an avid hunting and fishing enthusiast, was likely to have played a very influential role in the administration’s decision to ultimately block the mine which should have a drastic effect on the fishing industry.
Shively accused the move of being “politically motivated” and pointed to President-elect Joe Biden’s claim that more copper is needed as the country seeks to advance renewables – though Biden has categorically said that he would not support the Pebble Mine project.
Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both members of the Republican Party, applauded the Corps’ decision on Wednesday.
“This is the right decision, taken the right way,” Murkowski said in a statement. “This should validate our confidence in the well-established permitting process used to advance resource development projects across Alaska.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Murkowski added, “This will help ensure the continued protection of an irreplaceable resource – Bristol Bay’s world-class salmon fishery – and I hope this also marks the start of a more collaborative effort within the State to develop a sustainable vision for the region.
But Alaska’s only congressman, Representative Don Young, also a GOP member, said he was “disappointed” by the federal government’s decision and blamed “the voices of outside extremists.”
[ad_2]
Source link