Celebrating Bristol Bay protections in the Rose Garden

On May 11th, President Joe Biden celebrated the protection of Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine in the White House Rose Garden.

In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final determination to restrict the use of certain Bristol Bay headwaters as a disposal site for dredge and fill materials, effectively preventing the proposed Pebble Mine from moving forward. This comes after a national effort last summer when environmental advocacy groups, commercial fishers, Tribes, restaurants, anglers,  and outdoor stores generated more than half a million comments in favor of protecting the important watershed and salmon-breeding grounds in southwest Alaska. Local communities and advocacy groups fought the Pebble Mine for over two decades.

Lisa Frank, the executive director of our national partner Environment America’s Washington Legislative Office, joined the United Tribes of Bristol Bay and other environmental organizations to celebrate the historic victory for salmon, clean water, and southwest Alaska.