Latest News

December 29, 2010 – The Vancouver Sun included an interview with jeweler Tiffany & Co. about their very prominent ad in the December issue of National Geographic expressing the company’s opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine.
December 28, 2010 – DDLG radio out of Dillingham is reporting that another Canadian mining company is planning exploratory work in the Bristol Bay region in 2011. Millrock Resources has staked claims on over 66 square miles of land roughly 50 miles northeast of Dillingham. See and listen to the story at the Alaska Public Radio Network site.
December 26, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News ran an in-depth story about Alaska’s booming coal exports and the proposals for two large coal projects in Southcentral Alaska.
December 20, 2010 – The Wall Street Transcript published an excerpt from an interview with Northern Dynasty’s CEO and President. In the interview, Ron Thiessen states that we think that ultimately Northern Dynasty will be taken over.” He also reiterates the company’s position that if they cannot develop the Pebble prospect without damaging Bristol Bay, they won’t advance the project. Who’s willing to bet on that?
December 20, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News ran an opinion editorial from Rick Halford, former Alaska state Senate president as well as a licensed guide and bush pilot, about the long-term liability the proposed Pebble Mine would become to Alaska if it were ever approved and built.
December 17, 2010 – A profile of and interview with SAA Director Scott Hed was featured on the IdeaMensch web site, whose motto is Passionate People Bringing Ideas to Life.
December 17, 2010 – The co-chair of the Alaska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers penned a very good opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News about a lesser-known threat facing salmon streams in Alaska – a proposal to allow a coal mining operation to destroy a salmon stream by strip mining for coal. The Chuit River watershed, across Cook Inlet west of Anchorage, is the area facing this threat.
December 10, 2010 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce provides more information regarding the trial in Alaska Superior Court alleging that the Pebble Partnership’s exploratory activities violated Alaska’s constitution.
December 10, 2010 – The December 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine has a 25-page feature about Bristol Bay and the controversy over the proposed Pebble Mine project. It’s an incredible article with stunning photography. You can read the story online, but you ought to pick up a copy at your newsstand to show people too. Also, on the page facing the issue’s table of contents, Tiffany & Co. ran this fantastic full page ad.
December 10, 2010 – Opponents of the proposed Pebble Mine have objected to the use of the phrase legal terrorism” used by the Pebble Partnership’s CEO John Shively as he described the opposition to the project. Read the article in the Anchorage Daily News. You can also view the ad which ran in the Anchorage Daily News and Bristol Bay Times, asking for a public apology for this unfortunate choice of words.
December 7, 2010 – The state trial over the legality of the exploratory work done by the Pebble Partnership began yesterday in Anchorage. Read the account in the Anchorage Daily News.
December 2, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership has contracted with the Keystone Center to host a series of public dialogues” regarding the proposed Pebble Mine. Read this opinion piece from the Anchorage Daily News that challenges the Keystone process, and says the obvious question is not even part of the process: should a mine like Pebble even be build in Bristol Bay?
November 27, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership’s CEO used some very inflammatory language at a recent gathering of the Resource Development Council, likening those opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine to terrorists. See the story in the Seward Phoenix; it also includes a link where you can watch a video of the presentation where the comments were made.
November 27, 2010 – ESPN 710 Seattle interviewed Tim Bristol and Brian Kraft about the proposed Pebble Mine on “The Outdoor Line” hunting and fishing program. The story begins around the 12:30 mark.
November 25, 2010 – An Alaska Superior Court judge dismissed a request by the Pebble Partnership to delay the upcoming court trial over the constitutionality of Pebble’s exploration permits. The judge ordered the Pebble Partnership to turn over exploration work documents that have been requested over six months ago. The trial is scheduled to begin on December 6.
November 17, 2010 – Here’s an ad that ran in the UK during the recent visit by a contingent of Alaska residents to ask Anglo-American to live up to the promise of their CEO, namely that the company would not go where they are not wanted.
November 10, 2010 – The latest edition of the Bristol Bay Working Group newsletter features an interview with a former EPA regional administrator who recently traveled to Bristol Bay to discuss EPA's role in the proposed Pebble Mine process. The newsletter also includes news from the commercial, sport, and subsistence use components of the campaign. Take a look!
November 9, 2010 – Months after the funding was approved, Alaska’s Legislative Council is still debating the scope of a study of the potential impacts of the proposed Pebble Mine. The Council held hearings in Anchorage to debate the study, and you can read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.
November 9, 2010 – KTUU television in Anchorage is doing a three-part series on the proposed Pebble Mine. This web page has lots of good stories and links that have run up in Alaska.
November 9, 2010 – Alaska’s commercial salmon harvest in 2010 was the highest in the last 18 years, according to this story in the Anchorage Daily News.
November 6, 2010 – Check out this blog entry and photographs on the pollution at the Tulsequah Chief mine site in British Columbia. The story has at least two implications for Alaska. 1) The mine is leaching pollution into the Tulsequah River, which connects to the Taku River. The Taku is a trans-boundary river, flowing into Southeast Alaska north of Juneau. The Taku supports all five species of Pacific salmon, as well as brown bear, moose, eagles, and other species. 2) It’s another example of how difficult it is to keep mining pollution out of waterways.
November 5, 2010 – The BBC ran part two of their radio feature on the battle over the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay.
November 2, 2010 – The state of Alaska has assumed control over mining wastewater discharge permits from the EPA. This will affect the proposed Pebble Mine if it ever is built, but EPA will still retain authority to revoke or block state-issued permits if they do not meet Clean Water Act standards. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.
October 29, 2010 – A contingent of Alaskans from the Bristol Bay region are returning to London in early November to continue raising awareness about the threat facing their region from Anglo-American’s proposed Pebble Mine project. The BBC recently covered the controversy. You can watch a short video and listen to part 1 of a two-segment radio series. Part two of the radio series will be aired next week.
October 29, 2010 – UK newspaper The Guardian includes an editorial by Bristol Bay natives Bobby Andrew and George Wilson, Jr. asking Anglo-American to live up to its promise to not go where people don’t want us.”
October 27, 2010 – SAA and the Bristol Bay campaign got a lot of coverage in the inaugural newsletter from TailWaters Fly Fishing Co. in Dallas, Tex. TailWaters is also planning to host a Bristol Bay event on January 6, 2011 at their store while SAA is in town for the Dallas Safari Club convention.
October 23, 2010 – Alaska’s candidates for Governor and U.S. Senate responded to a question regarding their position on the proposed Pebble Mine in the Anchorage Daily News.
October 21, 2010 – The Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) has released a new video on its website underlining a commitment to responsible resource development in Southwest Alaska, a region renowned for fisheries critical to commercial, sport and subsistence users. Read about the video in the Bristol Bay Times and watch the video on the BBNC Web site.
October 6, 2010 – While not associated with a mine, the Hungarian tailings dam failure that unleashed a flood of red sludge” that reached the Danube River, killed several people, and injured over 100 others is a sad example that accidents can happen. Just a reminder…early plans for the proposed Pebble Mine have included construction of some of the largest tailings dams in the world to hold back the toxic by-products.
October 1, 2010 – The National Park Service and National Parks Conservation Association released a new report detailing how much visitation to Katmai National Park & Preserve brings to Alaska’s economy…roughly $37 million, and nearly 650 jobs. Just another reason the Bristol Bay region is not an appropriate location for a project like the proposed Pebble Mine.
September 28, 2010 – The new online fishing magazine Pool 32 provides a ton of coverage to the Bristol Bay issue. Check out the great photos and essays, including one by SAA Director Scott Hed.
September 26, 2010 – An article in the Alaska Dispatch contends that the proposed Pebble Mine‘s real obstacle is economics, not the massive groundswell of in-state and national opposition to this ill-conceived project.
September 25, 2010 – A delegation of Alaska Native leaders and commercial fishing interests traveled to Washington, DC last week to meet with officials at the Environmental Protection Agency and members of Congress from Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. Check out the coverage in the Anchorage Daily News, on the Anchorage ABC affiliate, and on Alaska Public Radio.
September 20, 2010 – There is an issue related to trapping of bear sows and cubs that will be in front of the Alaska Board of Game at a meeting on October 8 and 9 in Anchorage. This is a complicated issue, one which SAA hasn’t had time to review thoroughly enough to suggest a position on the matter. This is simply an attempt to raise awareness about the issue. If you are interested, please read this opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News. It’s written by the co-chair of the Alaska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. You can learn more, and read the proposal by visiting the AKBHA Web site.
September 17, 2010 – A food writer from Salon.com visited Alaska this summer. The current edition features a very good story on the proposed Pebble Mine and the Bristol Bay fishery including a nice slide show.
September 17, 2010 – There was a video on YouTube about the recently completed Bristol Bay fly fishing and guide academy. It has some great images and good interviews from some of the folks that put on the academy.
September 16, 2010 – Bloomberg Businessweek has yet another story about how the Sealaska bill is alive despite Senator Lisa Murkowski’s primary election loss.
September 14, 2010 – A registered dietician from Southern California wrote a fantastic opinion piece in the Santa Monica Daily Press about the value of Bristol Bay and the salmon the region produces for global food consumption.
September 13, 2010 – SAA Director Scott Hed was featured as an interviewee on Wade Bourne’s Wired2Fish radio program, which airs on approximately 300 stations across the country. The subject was the proposed Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay region, and you can listen to each short segment by clicking the links for September 13, 14, and 15. (Wade also got some info from me about the South Dakota pheasant season opener. If you’re curious, check out the clip from Oct. 2.)
September 8, 2010 – ESPN Outdoors ran a story on the proposed Pebble Mine, featuring quotes from SAA Director Scott Hed. The story was written by Robert Montgomery, who received the 2010 Homer Circle conservation writing award from the American Sportfishing Association.
September 6, 2010 – The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner recently visited the site of the proposed Pebble Mine for a very informative story on the latest state of the project. Good quotes from those opposing the mine, as well as a disclosure from the Pebble side stating permitting likely won’t begin until 2012.
September 5, 2010 – The Juneau Empire ran another story on the role that the Sealaska lands bill (S.881) may or may not have played in the U.S. Senate primary race in which newcomer Joe Miller defeated incumbent Lisa Murkowski.
September 1, 2010 – KFSK radio in Petersburg AK discusses the potential for the Sealaska lands bill (S.881) to advance, even in the face of Senator Lisa Murkowski's primary election defeat.
August 31, 2010 – Tom Tidwell, Chief of the US Forest Service, discusses transitioning management of the Tongass National Forest in this interview with KCAW radio.
August 31, 2010 – On Target magazine's new issue features the debut of the SAA-developed hunting industry ad for Bristol Bay. Many top names in the hunting product industry have joined the campaign, and this will continue to raise awareness and support from hunters.
August 31, 2010 – Outside Magazine just named Red Gold as one of the top 25 nature documentaries of all time. Get your copy from SAA, see home page for details.
August 30, 2010 – There’s a terrific column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about the proposed Pebble Mine. Lots of very good quotes from individuals involved in the battle. This is a good one to share with anybody interested in learning more about this issue.
August 28, 2010 – The Alaska Dispatch has a short news item and great slide show on the recent Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy. Kudos to all the supporters of this great project!
August 26, 2010 – SAA supporter, and famous Alaska fishing guide Cecelia Pudge” Kleinkauf has a new book on Arctic grayling fishing. Check out the nice review in the Anchorage Daily News.
August 23, 2010 – The Homer News did a two-part series on the possible road and port that would link Cook Inlet to the proposed Pebble Mine site. Read part one and part two.
August 19, 2010 – Take a moment to urge Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria of Jewelry to sign the Bristol Bay Protection Pledge. Over 30 prominent jewelers have already signed the pledge, including Tiffany & Co., Helzberg, and Zales.
August 17, 2010 – SAA helped with logistics for the production of two episodes of Hooked on the Fly, a fly fishing and conservation television show on the Sportsman Channel. The episodes were filmed in the Bristol Bay region and will air in 2011. You can watch a slide show of some images they shot (it takes a while to load, so be patient).
August 16, 2010 – The Fall 2010 issue of Trophy Hunter magazine features a piece on the proposed Pebble Mine. SAA wrote the piece which includes a compilation of support statements from the hunting side.
August 13, 2010 – The Bristol Bay Native Corporation has joined six tribes and several commercial fishing groups in asking the EPA to use its authority to stop the proposed Pebble Mine.
August 11, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News provides a very comprehensive account of yesterday’s tragic float plane crash that claimed the lives of former US Senator Ted Stevens and four others who were on a fishing trip in the Bristol Bay region.
August 10, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News has a great piece on the EPA's role in the proposed Pebble Mine and the dustup over Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) attempt to remove EPA from the process.
August 9, 2010 – The Bristol Bay Times has a good explanation of the role of state and federal agencies in mine permitting.
August 9, 2010 – The Montreal Gazette ran a story about how Northern Dynasty’s plans for the Pebble Mine have run into big opposition. The story also discusses how the EPA will play a role, and also how Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is attempting to interject himself into the debate.
August 6, 2010 – The Associated Press ran a news story on the swift condemnation by commercial fishermen and local tribes to Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) bill that would strip EPA of the authority to veto Army Corps of Engineers permits if such permits will result in an unacceptable adverse impact to fisheries, wildlife, shellfish beds, recreational areas or municipal water supplies. As you’ll recall, Rep. Young introduced this bill just two days after EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson listened to local residents’ concerns about the proposed Pebble Mine during a visit to Dillingham.
August 6, 2010 – The proposed Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay is described as a disappointment” to Anglo American in MiningWeekly.com. The article also makes mention of Anglo CEO Cynthia Carroll’s position as a non-executive director for British Petroleum, serving on the Safety, Ethics, and Environment Committee.
August 9, 2010 – The Wild Chef blog on the Field & Stream website has a series on wild salmon. The link includes a discussion on the threats to wild salmon (including the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska) as well as a great salmon recipe.
August 5, 2010 – A professor of history at the University of Alaska Anchorage provides a historical perspective on the Sealaska lands bill and Southeast Alaska in this opinion piece from the Anchorage Daily News.
August 5, 2010 – More coverage of Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) introduced bill that would strip EPA of the veto authority it holds under the Clean Water Act. Check it out in the Seward Phoenix.
August 5, 2010 – Ted Williams’ blog on Fly Rod & Reel online covers Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) bill that would strip EPA of veto authority under the Clean Water Act.
August 4, 2010 – The Homer Tribune has a story on the Pebble Partnership’s preparations to enter the permitting process in 2011.
August 4, 2010 – The Los Angeles Times gives the proposed Pebble Mine terrific coverage, focusing on the Native subsistence and commercial fishing interests of the Bristol Bay region. The Times’ blog also includes an entry regarding how the battle is moving into the federal arena and how the EPA will have a significant role to play.
August 3, 2010 – The threat of the proposed Pebble Mine and the importance of Bristol Bay’s wild salmon fishery are both featured in this article on seafood on Oregon Live.
July 30, 2010 – Alaska’s Congressman Don Young (R-AK) introduced a bill today (two days after EPA administrator Lisa Jackson visited Dillingham) that would remove the EPA’s authority to veto permits issued by the Army Corps of Engineers. Things are really beginning to heat up.
July 29, 2010 – At a meeting in Dillingham, Bristol Bay residents told EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that they will remain united in opposition to development of the proposed Pebble Mine.
July 28, 2010 – National Geographic News reports that an area south of Teshekpuk Lake has been spared from a coming lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska. The Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska has been engaged in efforts to protect the Teshekpuk Lake area from previous lease sales, as Teshekpuk Lake is a critical breeding and nesting area for numerous waterfowl species pursued by hunters all across North America.
July 27, 2010 – EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is in Alaska this week to visit several bush communities. Jackson’s visit will focus on rural issues, including how the proposed Pebble Mine would impact the Bristol Bay region. EPA will have a large role in the Pebble permitting process, expected to begin sometime in 2011. Read the stories in the Anchorage Daily News and the Bristol Bay Times and listen to the story on KDLG radio (scroll down to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Visits Dillingham”).
July 27, 2010 – 58 members of the U.S. House of Representatives recently sent a letter to House committee leaders asking that the Sealaska lands bill (S.881) not be included in any omnibus public lands legislation. Story from KFSK public radio in Petersburg.
July 25, 2010 – A professor of ecology wrote this terrific opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, countering the claims by the Pebble Partnership that the proposed Pebble Mine is not located in the headwaters of Bristol Bay.
July 19, 2010 – Alaska commissioners recently visited Japan to promote development of natural resource projects in Alaska. Asia is a large market for minerals found in Alaska…but Japan is also the single-largest market for Alaska seafood. I’m sure the commissioners assured their Japanese hosts that mining and fish can go hand in hand.
July 18, 2010 – A long-time biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Southeast Alaska wrote this opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News on the negative impacts of the pending Sealaska lands bill (S.881).
July 17, 2010 – Read the Bristol Bay Times for an update on the commercial salmon fishery in Bristol Bay. They're working hard to hit the projected harvest of 30.5 million fish, and are currently at 25.5 million out of a total run of 36.3 million sockeye to date.
July 17, 2010 – Click here to view an updated map of the existing mining claims on state lands in the Bristol Bay region. In addition to the proposed Pebble Mine, there are several other companies waiting in the wings, with a total of nearly 800 square miles of claims.
July 16, 2010 – Read about the Alaska legislature's plans for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large-scale mining development in the Bristol Bay region in the Bristol Bay Times.
July 14, 2010 – Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program recently hosted a trip to Bristol Bay for four chefs, highlighting the habitat requirements that support the world’s strongest runs of wild salmon.
July 13, 2010 – A state judge has declined to dismiss a court case alleging that state regulators violated the Alaska Constitution when they issued exploration and land-use permits to companies drilling at the Pebble copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska. The case is now scheduled to go to trial in December. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News and in Bloomberg Business Week.
July 12, 2010 – Despite revisions made to the bill, residents of small communities still oppose the Sealaska lands bill (S.881) according to this audio story on KSTK public radio in Wrangell.
July 12, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News did a nice story about the upcoming Bristol Bay Fly Fishing Academy which will be held on the Nushagak River next month.
July 12, 2010 – Northern Dynasty Minerals, one of the partners in the proposed Pebble Mine, recently picked up some neighboring leases adding 23 square miles to its holdings in the Bristol Bay region.
July 9, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership has contracted with the Keystone Center to convene a series of scientific panels to examine the potential impacts of large mining developments in Bristol Bay. The Alaska legislature recently appropriated $750,000 for an independent third-party study for much the same purpose. One has to wonder what different conclusions may be reached by a panel funded by the companies wishing to develop the Pebble Mine…
July 9, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that the Bristol Bay commercial sockeye salmon fishery is headed toward a harvest of 25 to 27 million fish, below the forecast of 32 million.
July 9, 2010 – Due to a poor return, the famed king salmon fishery on the Nushagak-Mulchatna drainage has been shut down. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News. One can only imagine that having the massive proposed Pebble Mine in the headwaters could not help but place further pressure on this fishery.
July 9, 2010 – In the Summer 2010 issue of Fly Rod & Reel Ted Williams provides an update and timeline summary of the proposed Pebble Mine project. Click here to view the article, reprinted with permission of Mr. Williams and FR&R.
July 8, 2010 – In case you hadn’t heard…Sarah Palin is working on a reality show for the Discovery Channel about wild Alaska or something like that. Apparently, she was out in Bristol Bay filming the commercial salmon season recently. Check out this blog post about a Dillingham restaurateur and his "No Pebble" sticker – allegedly, the Palin camp asked him to remove the picture of the former governor from his Facebook page – and he told them no way!
July 8, 2010 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) made a brief stop in Petersburg and fielded many comments and questions regarding the pending Sealaska lands bill. The Petersburg Pilot and KFSK public radio in Petersburg provide a good account of the meeting.
July 5, 2010 – While not technically a news” story, here’s an interesting piece from the Anchorage Daily News written by a long-time Bristol Bay commercial fisherman that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the cost you pay at the store for wild sockeye salmon.
July 3, 2010 – The Juneau Empire reports that revisions to Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Sealaska lands bill (S.881) fail to adequately address conservation concerns with the legislation, which could be taken up by the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee in July.
July 1, 2010 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released changes to the Sealaska lands bill today. View the official press release which includes a list of place names still included in this controversial bill. Despite the changes to the bill, there is still much opposition to the legislation from residents of Southeast Alaska. KCAW "Raven Radio" has a good story on the release of the revised bill. At this time, there still has not been an official hearing for the bill scheduled for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where Murkowski is the ranking Republican member.
June 30, 2010 – Eight Southeast Alaska communities have asked U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski to withdraw the controversial Sealaska lands bill. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.
June 30, 2010 – The American Fisheries Society included mention of the proposed Pebble Mine (along with examples of numerous mines which have caused impacts to watersheds) in a feature article about the need to update the 1872 Mining Law. Check out the latest issue of Fisheries, the official AFS publication.
June 28, 2010 – KDLG radio from Dillingham has an audio story about several lower 48 chefs visiting Bristol Bay last weekend as part of Trout Unlimited’s Why Wild program. The chefs, who all serve wild salmon already, were there to learn more about where the salmon come from and about efforts to protect the region. KGW television from Portland, Ore., did a nice story on a local Portland chef that participated in the trip to Bristol Bay.
June 25, 2010 – Alaska Governor Sean Parnell let stand a $750,000 appropriation to fund an independent third-party study of the potential effects of large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay region. Parnell had been under pressure from mining interests to veto the funding for such a study. Read the story in the Alaska Journal of Commerce.
June 16, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership has begun its summer exploration work, and their top man boldly states where the project is there are no streams at all.” Read the story in the Bristol Bay Times.
June 15, 2010 – A staff member with the Nature Conservancy in Alaska is spending the summer with a commercial fishing boat in Bristol Bay. Follow the entries on this blog throughout the season.
June 15, 2010 – Revisions to the controversial Sealaska lands bill are coming soon. At least that’s the story on Stikine River Radio and in the Juneau Empire. This bill could have a tremendous impact on fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation in Southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest. Meanwhile, a biologist who worked 17 years for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game weighed in with his views on the Sealaska bill on MongaBay.com. For the Sealaska side of the story, a recent news story and guest opinion piece ran in the Juneau Empire. It’s unlikely that all the concerns raised by residents of the region, including hunting and angling interests, have been addressed in the forthcoming amendments. Stay tuned.
June 8, 2010 – Mitsubishi Corporation owns roughly 11% of Northern Dynasty's share of the proposed Pebble Mine project. Take a minute to sign an online petition to Mitsubishi, opposing their involvement in this ill-conceived project. The petitions will be delivered at Mitsubishi's annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo on June 24.
June 7, 2010 – The Natural Resources Defense Council recently delivered another 28,000 petitions opposing the proposed Pebble Mine project to Anglo American’s office in London. Read the blog entry about that London meeting, as well as some notes from Northern Dynasty’s recent presentation to a mining investment conference in NYC. Good old Bruce Jenkins from Red Gold fame was the presenter.
June 4, 2010 – KTUU television did a three-minute story on the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon report published in Nature. Tim Bristol from Trout Unlimited Alaska and the Pebble Partnership’s John Shively are interviewed for the story.
June 2, 2010 – In this story from the Juneau Empire, efforts to address concerns over the Sealaska lands bill and its effect on the Tongass National Forest were unsuccessful in a series of private meetings between Sealaska and several environmental groups. The bill is awaiting amendments before potentially receiving action in Congress.
June 2, 2010 – A Seattle Times story reports that sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska, make up one of the world's most valuable and dependable fisheries — largely because of the variety of ecological niches the species occupies and the varied life cycles the fish have developed as a result. The story is based on a University of Washington study published Tuesday in the journal Nature. You can also read a press release from Trout Unlimited Alaska in response to the study.

May 28, 2010 – SAA's sport show tour from last winter was included in the Bristol Bay Working Group spring newsletter.
May 26, 2010 – The U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region issued a news release proposing moving management of the Tongass National Forest from old-growth timber harvest toward a more diversified economic model for Southeast Alaska. Read the Associated Press story in the Anchorage Daily News and the response to the Forest Service’s announcement from Senator Mark Begich (D-AK).
May 21, 2010 – Two Alaska Legislators wrote a tremendous opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, detailing the necessity for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay watershed. The Alaska legislature appropriated $750,000 for such a study in the 2010 session, but Governor Sean Parnell has been lobbied heavily by pro-development groups to veto the funding for this study.
May 20, 2010 – ESPN Outdoors provided a review of a terrific new book on the Tongass National Forest. Salmon in the Trees by acclaimed nature photographer Amy Gulick documents the largest temperate rainforest on the planet as well as the fish, game, and people who make their homes in Southeast Alaska. You can also watch a YouTube video preview of the book, but be warned…it'll have you dreaming of heading to Alaska soon.
May 20, 2010 – This story in the Alaska Journal of Commerce highlight’s the opposition by the proponents of the Pebble Mine to the Alaska Legislature’s $750,000 appropriation for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large mine development in the Bristol Bay region. (SAA editorial content: If this project isn’t going to cause problems, why not have an independent review arrive at that conclusion instead of relying on the promises” of the developers?)
May 19, 2010 – A Kodiak commercial fisherman wrote a very compelling opinion piece on the proposed Pebble Mine in the Tundra Telegraph.
May 16, 2010 – One of the men at the center of the opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine near Iliamna Lake visited a couple of Southeast Alaska communities last week to make his case against the mine. KDLG radio in Dillingham has the story.
May 7, 2010 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce has a very good feature on the Pebble Partnership’s public relations efforts to gain support of Alaskans for their proposed mine in Bristol Bay.
May 5, 2010 – Bobby Andrew and George Wilson, two Bristol Bay native leaders, wrote an opinion piece asking Anglo American’s CEO to honor her company’s promise to not develop the Pebble Mine project if local communities did not support it. Read the piece in the Bristol Bay Times.
May 4, 2010 – Bob Gillam, the President of McKinley Capital Management, and one of the biggest opponents to the Pebble Mine was in Soldotna, yesterday, to speak to the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce about ongoing efforts of Renewable Resources to stop the Pebble Mine, near Illiamna. Gillam told his audience that he is pro-development. He supports oil exploration in ANWR. However, he doesn’t agree with Pebble. Check out the story here.
May 4, 2010 – Three former top administrators with the state Department of Fish and Game are warning Gov. Sean Parnell about a bill that would allow a Native corporation to hand-pick lands in the Tongass National Forest. Read the full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
May 2, 2010 – Tim Bristol, Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program director, wrote an excellent opinion piece on the need to protect the Koktuli River in the Anchorage Daily News.
April 28, 2010 – The Koktuli River, one of the rivers threatened by the proposed Pebble Mine and a major tributary of the Mulchatna River in the Nushagak River watershed, has been named as one of 2010’s Ten Waters to Watch by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. This designation will result in US Fish & Wildlife Service funds, along with matching funds from other public and private entities, being used to continue studies of fish distribution and water flows in the Bristol Bay region. These studies should result in additional miles of waters being added to Alaska’s anadramous waters catalog – meaning more protections for these waters from potential development. Click here to read the press release on this important news on the Koktuli.
April 25, 2010 – The Alaska Department of Natural Resources reinstated the land, water and fish habitat permits to the Pebble Partnership. This decision will allow field work on the proposed Pebble Mine to resume in southwest Alaska. Read the story in the Juneau Empire.
April 23, 2010 – Most of the Alaskans planning to attend Anglo American’s annual shareholder conference were unable to travel due to the Icelandic volcano situation. There were dueling press conferences held yesterday from Native groups both opposed and supportive of the proposed Pebble Mine. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News and watch a clip from KTUU television.
April 23, 2010 – The Spring 2010 issue of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s membership magazine features a story on the proposed Pebble Mine. While there may be no direct impacts to wild sheep from the Pebble project, the article lays out a terrific argument for why this issue should matter to all of us. Read the article here, and visit the Wild Sheep Foundation Web site to learn more about this organization.
April 22, 2010 – Congressional leaders call for protection of BLM lands in Bristol Bay. Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska and Trout Unlimited issued a press release thanking Representatives Moran and Dicks. Read the letter these Congressmen sent to the BLM and view the press release here.
April 20, 2010 – An independent review of the proposed Pebble Mine project may be in the works through action in the Alaska legislature. Read in the Kodiak Daily Mirror.
April 14, 2010 – The recent announcement by Zale’s stating the major jewelry retailer will not purchase gold from the proposed Pebble Mine drew a Big Deal” response from the Pebble Partnership’s chief executive. Field & Stream's Field Notes blog takes issue with that cavalier attitude. Click on the blog entry and add your comments.
April 13, 2010 – A dozen additional jewelry retailers, including Zale’s (the second largest in the USA), have joined the campaign to boycott gold from the proposed Pebble Mine and advocate for permanent protection of the Bristol Bay region. Read about this major development in the Anchorage Daily News, International Diamond Exchange, and National Jeweler.
April 12, 2010 – Listen to a short radio news story about a shift in US Forest Service management plans for the Tongass National Forest. This story from KFSK in Petersburg discusses a shift from harvesting of old-growth timber to restoration projects.
April 12, 2010 – The debate over the Sealaska bill is featured in this story in the Los Angeles Times. The story about the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska features some great photos and video.
April 10, 2010 – As if we needed another reason to protect Bristol Bay…A new study indicates that wild Alaska fish boast the best protein for your diet. Want to Save Wild Salmon? Eat One!
April 8, 2010 – Please take a moment to read this beautiful essay and opinion piece written by Alaska Native Lydia Olympic for the Bristol Bay Times. Lydia was raised in the small village of Igiugig on the shores of Lake Iliamna, and is one of the activists who will be traveling to London for the second consecutive year to raise awareness of the proposed Pebble Mine threat during Anglo American’s annual shareholder meeting next week.
April 7, 2010 – Robert Kennedy, Jr. and Jean-Michel Cousteau co-wrote an excellent piece about the proposed Pebble Mine on the Huffington Post.
April 5, 2010 – Captain Sig Hansen, star of the hit television show Deadliest Catch, talked with Trout Unlimited Alaska about why he opposes the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay.
April 5, 2010 – Scott Newman, an Alaska Master Guide, wrote an opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News about how the proposed Sealaska lands bill will negatively impact guides and outdoor recreation opportunities in Southeast Alaska.
March 22, 2010 – In a joint hearing of the Alaska state Senate Resources and House Fisheries committees, a discussion of Alaska’s large mine permitting process as it relates to the proposed Pebble Mine project was held. Click here to read a report in Laws for the SEA (a weekly roundup of fisheries issues before the Alaska legislature).
March 17, 2010 – USA Today ran a very good article on the debate over the Sealaska lands bill and its potential effects on the Tongass National Forest.

Feb. 25, 2010 – Click here for a quick story on the Pebble Partnerships announced plans for 2010. No permits yet, but they’re continuing work in the region – including a public affairs program to engage project stakeholders and local communities.” They realize they don’t have the support of the vast majority of people in the Bristol Bay region.
Feb. 24, 2010 – The current issue of Alaska Magazine has a very good article about Bob Gillam, perhaps the wealthiest individual in Alaska – and also a huge opponent of the proposed Pebble Mine.
Feb. 19, 2010 – Trout Unlimited has applied for special protection for the Koktuli River in Bristol Bay. The Koktuli is a tributary of the Mulchatna/Nushagak system – the largest king salmon producing system in Alaska, and also one of the major drainages threatened by the proposed Pebble mine. Read about the Outstanding National Resource Waters process, which provides protection through the Clean Water Act, in the Anchorage Daily News and the Bristol Bay Times. Listen to a story from KDLG in Dillingham, AK. TU’s fact sheet about the ONRW designation for the Koktuli may be viewed here.
Feb. 17, 2010 – Read another story about the Pebble Partnership’s permit violations for unauthorized use of water in the Homer Tribune.
Feb. 12, 2010 – The Associated Press just released a news story about the controversial Sealaska lands bill, which could have a dramatic impact on hunting and fishing in the Tongass National Forest.
Feb. 11, 2010 – The city council of the Southeast Alaska community of Petersburg recently heard testimony from residents on the pending Sealaska lands bill which could dramatically impact land uses and access in the Tongass National Forest. Read the story in the Petersburg Pilot. This legislation could see action in the United States Senate in the next month, so be ready to take action!
Feb. 6, 2010 – After a few months’ delay, the Alaska Board of Fisheries (see news item below from Dec. 5, 2009) has delivered a letter to the State House and Senate leaders asking for a comprehensive legislative review of the state's permitting system in light of the proposed Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska. See several bits of news coverage: Anchorage Daily News, AK Public Radio Network (audio clip), KTUU (tv news), and KDLG (radio clip).
Feb. 5, 2010 – Read a local Southeast Alaska resident’s view on the Sealaska Lands bill from The SitNews. This bill could see action in the U.S. Senate in the next month, so be prepared to contact your Senators in defense of prime fish and game habitat in the Tongass National Forest.
Feb. 1, 2010 – For a rather scathing indictment of the proposed Pebble Mine project, check out this opinion piece on Wild on the Fly.
Jan. 22, 2010 – Debate in Dillingham, AK about the proposed Pebble Mine. Big news: Pebble Partnership won’t be applying for permits in 2010! Listen here on KDLG radio.
Jan. 20, 2010 – Check out the report from the opening weekend of sport show season” in Denver at the Compleat Thought blog. There are three videos featuring Curt Ole” Olson and Dave Egdorf (both featured in Red Gold”), who attended our Friday night party in Denver. Many thanks to Kyle Perkins at Compleat Thought for helping with logistics on the ground in Denver, leading to such a successful weekend!
Jan. 20, 2010 – Alaska Master Guide/Outfitter Phil Shoemaker wrote a terrific piece about Bristol Bay and the proposed Pebble Mine in the January/February 2010 issue of Successful Hunter magazine. This is just the type of support we need to expand awareness of the threats facing Bristol Bay among the hunting community.
Jan. 15, 2010 – Alaska Alpine Adventures hosted the trip for Men’s Journal magazine in 2008 which resulted in the MJ article about Pebble Mine. Click the link to view a new five-minute video about the trip.
Jan. 15, 2010 – The January issue of Science magazine includes an article about the proposed Pebble Mine and its potential impacts on the Bristol Bay fishery.