Pebble's Problems

The Pebble Partnership says it has no plans created for the Pebble Mine. It also claims that the Partnership hasn’t submitted any documents in order to begin mine development in the area around Bristol Bay.

Yet, in 2006, it submitted mine plans to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in order to obtain water permits for exploration.

To read the Pebble Project Plan, click here

And in 2011 the Pebble Partnership had enough planning done to be able to post a preliminary assessment of the mine’s worth on the Northern Dynasty website (Northern Dynasty is a majority member of the Pebble Partnership).

To read the Northern Dynasty assessment, click here

It is clear the Pebble Partnership is lying to the people of Alaska in order to protect their large investment in the Pebble Mine. But, what exactly are they trying to hide?

Recent studies on the effects of copper on salmon have shown that as little as 3 parts per billion disrupt salmons’ natural homing mechanisms. Because the Pebble Mine site is located directly above Bristol Bay in an environment known for high winds and heavy rains, the likelihood of contaminating the salmon’s habitat is significant.   Additionally, five of the largest dams ever constructed must be erected to hold the 10 billion tons of mine waste the mine’s ore would generate - forever.  That equates to 3,000 pounds of mine waste for every person alive on the planet today.

There is hard proof that this kind of contamination will significantly affect Bristol Bay’s salmon. Such pollution has already ravaged salmon populations in the area.

The Fraser River is Canada’s largest salmon producer and supports five species of Pacific salmon. In the last six years, salmon productivity in the river is at an all-time low, indicating populations are barely replacing themselves. The steady decline in production has been traced partially to activities including mining, pulp mills, agriculture, forestry, transportation and other urbanization.

To read the full report on the Fraser River, click here.

The facts are clear— The Pebble Mine will have devastating consequences for Alaska’s salmon population and will destroy the region’s world class sport fishing opportunities, local subsistence fishing with a 10,000 year history, and a commercial fishing industry that employs 7,000 workers and generates $300 million a year.