The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rejected key permits for Pebble Mine, the controversial mine in Bristol Bay’s headwaters, this past fall. However, efforts to protect the underlying real-estate from future development are the only long-term option for Bristol Bay. Last month, the Pedro Bay Corporation, an Alaskan Native Corp, voted to sell conservation easements on 44,000 acres near Bristol Bay, preventing future development. In another blow for the foreign-owned mine, Pebble planned to build a transportation corridor directly in the region. This is a major win for Bristol Bay and all the stakeholders that rely on a healthy watershed. Additionally, it deals another blow to the embattled Pebble mine.
“This transaction supports the values of our community members by protecting their land, their subsistence, and their traditional way of life,” said Pedro Bay Corporation CEO Matt McDaniel. “This is an opportunity that will provide our community benefits and economic value in perpetuity. After years of consideration, the shareholders have now made an informed decision on how to manage and protect their privately held ancestral lands.”
Save Bristol Bay wrote, “Hats off to @PedroBayCorp and the people of Bristol Bay for continuing to protect the lands, waters, fish, and cultures of southwest Alaska.”
We at Flylords agree with @SaveBristolBay! And we hope to see more of Bristol Bay’s land and waters preserved and protected from future development.
Check out this Washington Post article for more!
Cover picture courtesy of @FlyOutMedia
Pebble Mine Limited Partnership Employee Denied from Alaska Board of Fisheries
