In accordance with an agreement the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made with the Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) in May 2017 to resolve litigation, the agency is proposing to withdraw a January 2014 “Proposed Determination” under the Clean Water Act’s 404(c) provision that laid out restrictions for large-scale mining at the Pebble deposit in Bristol Bay.
In doing so, the Administrator of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, argues that it gives PLP more time to submit a permit application under the Clean Water Act without the “uncertainty, real or perceived, about PLP’s ability to submit a permit application and have that permit application reviewed.”
The EPA is seeking public comment on this rationale and the proposal to withdraw the Proposed Determination.
The 90-day comment period will end on October 17, 2017.
Read the EPA notice, which gives details and commenting instructions.
Get tips on submitting public comments.