FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2024

CONTACT
Daniel Cheyette, Sr. Vice President, Lands and External Affairs
(907) 278-3602 or dcheyette@bbnc.net

BBNC Welcomes Rep. Peltola’s Bristol Bay Protection Act
The Bristol Bay Protection Act will codify EPA’s 404c Final Determination for the Pebble deposit

Anchorage, AK – Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) welcomes legislation introduced by Representative Mary Peltola that will strengthen protections for Bristol Bay. The Bristol Bay Protection Act would codify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act Section 404(c) Final Determination for the region. It provides an additional layer of protection against the proposed Pebble mine should a future administration or court attempt to undo EPA’s work in Bristol Bay.

Russell S. Nelson, Chair of BBNC’s Board of Directors, issued the following statement:

“We thank Representative Peltola for introducing legislation that will provide much-needed protections for Bristol Bay salmon, subsistence, and our way of life. The legislation, if enacted, will provide important limits that would apply to future, hard rock mining proposals that target the Pebble deposit, regardless of who is in the White House or Congress. More importantly, it will protect a two-billion-dollar commercial fishing industry that supports 15,000 American jobs and a salmon-based way of life that the people of Bristol Bay have relied on for thousands of years. We look forward to working with Representative Peltola, our delegation, and other Bristol Bay champions in Congress to ensure that Pebble mine has no future in Bristol Bay.”

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About Bristol Bay Native Corporation: Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) is a diversified Alaska Native investment corporation dedicated to the mission of “Enriching Our Native Way of Life.” Established through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, BBNC works to protect the land in Bristol Bay, celebrate the legacy of its people, and enhance the lives of its shareholders. Learn more at bbnc.net.