Tag Archives: EPA
Not everyone likes the EPA Pebble decision: EPA goes too far on Pebble mine
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy on Friday did what supporters of the proposed Pebble mine feared she would do: initiate a review process that could preemptively prevent the mine project from proceeding. Read more here 09:25
EPA Moves to Protect Bristol Bay from Pebble Mine
The Environmental Protection Agency today announced that they are using section 404 C of the Clean Water Act to halt development of the Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska. Section 404 C authorizes the EPA to prohibit or limit projects that would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the environment. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy made the announcement during a teleconference this morning. Read more here 15:43
Pebble Mine Opponents Urge EPA To Kill Project
About 30 opponents of the proposed Pebble Mine met in Washington today with White House and high-ranking EPA staff. They came armed with a new EPA study that found a mine of Pebble’s size would pose a significant risk to Bristol Bay and its valuable salmon fisheries. Now they’re asking the Environment agency to take the next step and kill the project. They didn’t get a definite answer. Listen and Read more here 10:34
Canada’s Science Library Closures Mirror Bush’s Playbook
Reporting by The Tyee, prompted by tips from U.S. readers, found that a similar scenario unfolded in the United States during the administration of George W Bush Jr. Familiar claims To ostensibly save $2-million dollars a year (a drop in the bucket for the EPA’s $8-billion budget) the Bush administration closed five regional libraries serving 15 states and reduced access to libraries serving another 15 states in 2006. Read more@thetyee 10:18
Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., co-sponsors bill to give exemption to fishing vessels
The moratorium addressed in the bill Jones’ cosponsored was for a federal court ruling in California in 2006 that said EPA was required under the Clean Water Act to issue permits for incidental discharges. Jones said that could include discharges of things as simple as ballast water, deck wash, bilge pump discharge, fish hold water, and laundry and shower water. Congress permanently exempted 13 million recreational vessels affected by the ruling, but approved only a temporary exemption for the 65,000 commercial and charter fishing boats and 15,000 commercial use vessels. [email protected] 23:21
The Big Q: why did Anglo American exit now? The Big A: Could it be that Anglo American believes the EPA will block the mine?
Before pulling out of the Pebble Mine project last week, Anglo American (PINK:AAUKY), 1 of the world’s biggest mining companies invested 6 yrs and at least $541-M in a partnership with Vancouver-based Northern Dynasty Minerals (NYSE:NAK) to develop the site in southwestern Alaska. Wait, pause on that number for a sec: $541-M. more@livetradingnews 17:16
Thanks, But No Thanks OPINION: EPA intervention not in Alaska’s best interest – Ron Bowers, Dillingham, Alaska
I appreciate the EPA Administrator’s efforts to hear the concerns of local residents on a proposed . However I am totally opposed to inviting a heavy handed and out of control federal agency full of unelected bureaucrats to intervene in this issue that needs to be decided by Alaskans. more@bristolbaytimes 09:00
EPA may have tried to evade Freedom of Information request, judge says
“The possibility that unsearched personal email accounts may have been used for official business raises the possibility that leaders in the EPA may have purposefully attempted to skirt disclosure under the FOIA,” Lamberth wrote. The foundation filed the request in a bid to determine whether former EPA administrator used a private e-mail account to conduct agency business outside public scrutiny. more@washingtonpost 09:42
New evidence points to former EPA official pushing pre-emptive Pebble Mine veto
When it comes to a controversial proposed copper and gold mine near Alaska’s Bristol Bay, the Environmental Protection Agency long has insisted that it is assessing, not regulating. At least not yet. The EPA has repeatedly said it has no plan to pre-emptively veto the mine proposal via a regulatory hydrogen bomb at its disposal in the Clean Water Act — certainly not while the agency is working over its much-disputed assessment of a theoretical large-scale mine’s impact on the Bristol Bay Watershed. more@washingtonexaminer07:37:00
It’s no mystery why most Alaskans in Bristol Bay oppose the Pebble mine
It’s a sure sign of desperation when the CEO of the consortium of foreign mining companies that want to build one of the largest open pit mines in North America claims to be defending the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) from “attack.” According to the Pebble Partnership’s John Shively, environmental groups and “politically motivated groups” are running a “campaign to subvert and evade NEPA” by mobilizing in support of EPA’s review of the proposed Pebble Mine – a reckless scheme to build a massive open pit mine in the headwaters of the world’s greatest wild salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska. [email protected]
Pebble Waits, Frustration Grows – Pebble Partnership CEO John Shively has maintained for years that his company will submit its application soon.
“Well, we’re still working on that,” he said by phone Tuesday morning. “I do really think that there’s a better than even chance that we will submit our permit application later this year.” @alaskapublic
EPA grants Gloucester $400k for harbor land study – “Scientific Analysis”?
Gloucester’s Community Development Department can now offer inventory and scientific analysis of public and private parcels along and near the city’s harborfront, thanks to a significant federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. continued@GDT
The next Salmon Battle. HYDABURG, Alaska has what the Green Beans and the War Machine need. “rare-earth” element Dysprosium.
Because the Department of Defense needs dysprosium for weapons production, it has recently shown interest in Bokan Mountain –Dr. David Shuh, a senior scientist in the Chemical Sciences Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), explained why dysprosium is currently essential in hybrid cars like the Prius continued@newamericamedia
EPA official quits amid e-mail scrutiny
A senior Environmental Protection Agency official overseeing states in the West and Great Plains resigned Friday, amid intense congressional scrutiny over how EPA appointees have used personal e-mail addresses to conduct official b
usiness. Former EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson had come under scrutiny for sending e-mails under the alias Richard Windsor, an account she named after her family dog. Now members of Congress are probing why acting EPA administrator Bob Perciasepe sent an e-mail to agency colleagues regarding hydraulic fracking from a personal account. Read more
Emotions run high over EPA’s Bristol Bay watershed study
“Three years ago, commercial fishermen, Alaska Native tribes and sport fishermen asked the Obama Administration to protect the world’s greatest sockeye salmon fishery and the 14,000 jobs it sustains from the threats of mega mining. We did not ask for years of study and process.” Read more here
Salazar departure leaves ‘green’ posts vacant
With Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s announcement Wednesday that he intends to resign, the Obama administration finds itself in exactly the same place it was four years ago: looking to fill the three most important environmental posts in the federal government. Interior Dept., EPA, NOAA.
Donald Boesch, who heads the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science and served on Obama’s 2010 oil spill commission, has the support of several key Maryland politicians to replace Jane Lubchenco. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA’s deputy secretary, is also a contender. Read more
Commercial crabbers concerned about Center for Biological Diversity’s coral petition
“We’re terrified of the petition,” Linda Kozak, a fisheries consultant in Kodiak, told the Fisherman. “This could be another sea lion issue where just to be safe they close all the fishing to bottom contact gear.”
Commercial fishermen applaud EPA’s peer review process for Bristol Bay assessment; mining and productive salmon stocks do not mix!
“People who are attacking this report aren’t criticizing the science but are trying to use any opportunity to attack the EPA,” said Bob Waldrop, executive director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. “The agency was invited to Bristol Bay by Alaska Natives, commercial fishermen and others, and EPA is simply fulfilling its duties and responsibilities to live up to the Clean Water Act.” http://www.akbizmag.com/Alaska-Business-Monthly/November-2012/Commercial-fishermen-applaud-EPAs-peer-review-process-for-Bristol-Bay-assessment-Call-on-President-for-swift-action-to-protect-fishery-jobs-and-economy/
