In April, Trillium led a group of investors calling on the EPA to use its authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to immediately restrict mine waste disposal in wetlands, rivers and streams within the Bristol Bay watershed.

This letter built upon a decade of Trillium advocacy and out of deep concern over the long-term negative social and environmental impacts of the proposed Pebble Mine, a massive open-pit gold and copper project in the Bristol Bay headwaters proposed by Canadian junior mining company Northern Dynasty.

We are happy to share that in early September the EPA announce environmental protections for Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska, specifically a plan that could permanently block the development of the Pebble Mine.

While the process is not over and there is likely more for us to do, the Administration has taken the step that we called for: using its authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to protect this valuable resource which is important to salmon, local communities, the fishing industry, and Alaska Natives.