Judge Temporarily Halts EPA’s 404(c) Process on Pebble Mine

It ain't over till the fat lady sings........

U.S. District Court Judge H. Russel Holland issued a preliminary injunction Monday, temporarily halting the EPA’s 404(c) process regarding the Pebble Mine.

LINK (via: Alaska Public Media)

Your voices were heard - mining company denied water from the Smith

Some good news regarding that proposed nickel mine at the headwaters of the Smith river, one of the crown jewels of the National Wild and Scenic River program.

The Oregon Water Resources Department has denied the application from the Red Flat Nickel Corp, in part due to the overwhelming substantive comments they received from you, the public, and public trust agencies.

LINK (via: California Trout)

Parnell Tried to Find Funding for Pebble Mine

This recently leaked video reveals that Alaska Governor Sean Parnell tried to find a funder for Pebble Mine after Anglo-American pulled out of the project. This is just the latest revelation of Parnell’s longstanding efforts to build Pebble mine over the objection of Alaskans.

LINK (via: Alaska Democrats)

Comment Period Closed for EPA's Proposed Determination for the Pebble Deposit

So now what?

According to the Clean Water Act Section 404(c) regulations, the Regional Administrator must either withdraw the Proposed Determination or prepare a Recommended Determination within 30 days after the conclusion of the public hearings (but not before the end of the public comment period).

EPA believes that more time is necessary to adequately review and consider the many thousands of comments  received. In order to allow full consideration of the extensive administrative record, including public comments, they are extending the time period to withdraw the Proposed Determination or to prepare the Recommended Determination until no later than February 4, 2015.

Bristol Bay Proposed Determination Informational Webinars

EPA Region 10 invites you to a webinar providing a brief overview of the Clean Water Act Section 404(c) Proposed Determination for the Pebble Deposit Area, Southwest Alaska.

The presentation will be offered twice:  

September 9, 2014 3:00 – 4:00 PM PST  

September 10, 2014  9:00 – 10:00 AM PST

Click on this link to join the webinar.

There are two weeks left to submit your comments to EPA Region 10. The public comment period on the Proposed Determination is open until September 19, 2014.

“I don’t know what the hell party I belong to”

Rick Halford is Republican to the core. The retired politician served the party in the Alaska state Legislature for 24 years, including stints as Senate president, as well as both Senate and House majority leader. Always, he has stood for free enterprise, individual rights and small business; typically, he’s been pro-development. He started “as a very seriously redneck Republican,” and saw little in his time in office to challenge his views.

But for Halford, there turned out to be one thing worse than a meddling federal government: Pebble Mine.

LINK (via: Salon)