Norm Van Vactor

At best, the state’s appeal is duplicative. At worst, it is an unlawful and wasteful action.

Alaskans deserve a clear-eyed view of all that is at stake. Unfortunately, the Corps has not committed to a transparent process.

No one should place trust in the promises Pebble makes now, because there is a likelihood that Northern Dynasty will not be around to honor them.

The Corps must bring science and the expertise of other agencies and of the people of Bristol Bay back into the process.

Pebble’s review process has failed us, leaving Alaskans who depend on the Bristol Bay fishery for our culture and livelihood at risk.

There is no law or federal policy that compels the Corps to put speed over substance on a project that could be disastrous for Bristol Bay.

Opposition to the Pebble mine has never followed party lines or been a red, blue or green issue. It’s an Alaska issue.

The current rules are from a different time and they need to be updated. Ballot Measure 1 is a sensible update that would provide a stronger and more transparent science-based permitting system.

The proposed Pebble mine poses fundamental and unacceptable risks to the salmon fisheries of the Bristol Bay region and the economic and subsistence benefits those fisheries provide.

Northern Dynasty, which lacks the financial muscle to move the Pebble project forward on its own, is yet again looking for another investor to finance permitting and development.

The people of Bristol Bay don't want any version of the copper and gold mine in the headwaters of the world's greatest salmon fishery. Period.

Gold and copper mine doesn't belong in the headwaters of the Bristol Bay salmon fisheries, and most Alaskans know it's past time to lay this bad idea to rest.

OPINION: A combined community effort, like the one that has successfully fought oil and gas leasing in Bristol Bay, is the way forward for conservation-minded people and groups looking to protect the Bering Sea.

OPINION: Bristol Bay salmon runs are too enduring and too valuable to risk for comparatively short-term Pebble mine wealth.