Commenting to the EPA: 11 questions

“A single, well-supported comment may carry more weight than a thousand form letters.” – “Tips for Submitting Effective Comments” at regulations.gov

The deadline for submitting comments on the EPA’s Proposed Determination for restrictions in Bristol Bay is on September 19, 2014.

There are many ways to submit your input, including online at Regulations.gov (remember to add your name and contact information unless you want to submit anonymously).

Questions the EPA has posed to readers:

  1. Comments regarding whether the proposed determination should become the recommended determination and ultimately the final determination, and any corrective action that could be taken to reduce adverse impacts of discharges associated with mining the Pebble deposit.
  2. Additional information on the likely adverse impacts on fish and other ecological resources of the receiving waters that would be directly or indirectly affected by mining the Pebble deposit (including the South Fork Koktuli, North Fork Koktuli, and Upper Talarik Creek and downstream reaches of the Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers).
  3. Additional information on the water quality, flora, fauna, and hydrology of the waters identified in No. 2, above, and information on the fish species that would be affected by aquatic ecosystem changes if discharges from mining the Pebble deposit were to occur.
  4. Additional information about wildlife species that would be affected if discharges from mining the Pebble deposit were to occur.
  5. Additional information about recreational uses of the project area and how they would be affected if discharges from mining the Pebble deposit were to occur.
  6. Additional information about drinking water (including public water supplies and private sources of drinking water such as streams and/or wells) and how they would be affected if discharges from mining the Pebble deposit were to occur.
  7. Additional information on the potential for mitigation to be successful in reducing the impacts of mining the Pebble deposit.
  8. Comments regarding the approach used to define the potential disposal site, including how EPA Region 10 weighed the factors discussed in Section 2.2.3 and whether there are other factors or approaches EPA Region 10 should consider in defining the potential disposal site.
  9. Whether the discharge of dredged or fill material associated with mining the Pebble deposit should be completely prohibited, restricted as proposed, restricted in another manner, or not restricted at all at this time. In particular, EPA Region 10 is seeking comment on whether environmental effects associated with other mine stages or scenarios (e.g., environmental effects from mining approximately 2.0 billion tons of ore over 25 years) could provide a basis for alternative or additional restrictions.
  10. Comments on the definitions of “loss,” “contiguous,” and “dewatering,” provided in Section 5 (p. 168).
  11. Comments on whether and how EPA Region 10’s proposed action under Section 404(c) should consider discharge of dredged or fill materials beyond those associated with the min pit, TSFs, and waste rock piles and include such discharges associated with the construction of other mine infrastructure (e.g., wastewater treatment plants, transportation corridors).

Read the Pebble Watch overview of the Proposed Determination

Read our guide to public comment for the Proposed Determination