Matthew Leopold EPA General Counsel, EPA William Jefferson Clinton Bldg. 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20460
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Matthew Leopold Christopher Hladick EPA General Counsel, EPA EPA Region 10 Administrator William Jefferson Clinton Bldg. EPA 1200 Sixth Ave – RA 140 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Seattle, WA 98101 Washington, DC 20460 August 25, 2020 Dear EPA General Counsel Leopold and Region 10 Administrator Hladick: As American businesses and entrepreneurs that depend on Bristol Bay's sustainable wild salmon runs, we are writing to express our concerns with the proposed Pebble Mine. There is well-documented science, including the EPA's own Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment, showing that Pebble poses serious risks to the Bristol Bay watershed, its world-renowned fisheries, and Indigenous communities. Protecting Bristol Bay is not only the right thing to do, but it's the economically responsible thing to do at a time when our country cannot afford to lose more jobs, income, or domestic food production. The waters of Bristol Bay are home to the world's most productive and valuable wild salmon fishery. That fishery supplies roughly half of the world's sockeye salmon, supports more than 14,000 fishing and seafood jobs, and generates over $1.5 billion of annual economic activity. Bristol Bay is the cornerstone of the Alaska seafood industry, with record-breaking harvests in recent years. For recreational purposes, Bristol Bay represents one of the planet's finest destinations for sport fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing, drawing tens of thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world every year. The Pebble Mine jeopardizes all of this, and yet the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has floated this project through the permitting process despite the EPA's peer- reviewed science showing that Pebble would pose “unacceptable adverse impacts.” We appreciate the resources and staff time that went into the EPA's extensive analyses and respect the EPA's expertise on this matter. Consequently, we are extremely concerned with the Army Corps' lack of scrutiny throughout their assessment of the Pebble Mine. The Army Corps' inadequate assessment not only dismisses critical facts, but also downplays the risks to Bristol Bay's established industries and existing businesses. In 2019, at the direction of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, Congress passed legislation that gives a clear directive to the EPA: to use its “enforcement authority under the Clean Water Act...at an appropriate time in the permitting process to ensure the full protection of the region.” That time is now. Therefore, we call on the EPA to uphold its responsibility under the Clean Water Act and veto the Pebble Mine. Please, protect the Bristol Bay watershed and the thousands of American businesses that depend on it. Sincerely, Adams Built Fishing, LLC Baranof Wilderness Lodge & Fallon, NV Beyond Boundaries Expeditions Sitka, AK AK Adventures, Inc. 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