The Pebble mineral deposit lies underneath headwaters of two major Bristol Bay salmon drainages.
Since 1988, over 800,000 feet (150 miles) of core samples have been drilled at over 700 sites at Pebble. Hundreds of seismic survey holes have been blasted with dynamite. Drilling, plugging drill holes, and discharging of drill effluent can introduce chemicals, toxic to aquatic life, into groundwater. That groundwater flows into the salmon-producing headwaters of Bristol Bay.
Alaska's Department of Natural Resources and Pebble Limited Partnership expect fisheries stakeholders to simply accept their claim that water quality and salmon are adequately protected rather than demonstrate this protection in a scientifically rigorous manner.
DNR is neither collecting water quality data at Pebble nor is it privy to the Pebble partnership's water quality data. The state's assertion of "protection" is speculation. Only Pebble's owners have any water quality data, and therein lies the conflict of interest.
Under the current permitting process, the entity with the least interest in developing rigorous, unbiased, precise baseline environmental data is the one controlling all aspects of its collection -- from consultant selection and oversight to data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting (or not). Because environmental study results will affect the mine owner's profit, there is a built-in incentive to cherry-pick data to ensure they get their permits.
More troubling is a study of water quality impacts at 25 modern permitted mines based on similar industry baseline data. All 25 predicted water quality would be protected, yet 76 percent failed to do so. Those near groundwater fared worse: More than 90 percent contaminated groundwater. All of these mines were fully vetted and permitted by state and federal agencies.
Clean water = clean fish. Bristol Bay fisheries are at stake; Alaskans cannot rely solely on the state's word and the mine owners' word -- the risks are too great and Alaska's current regulatory system too flawed.
The state should require immediate release of all water and fish technical reports and supporting data from the Pebble Limited Partnership. An independent expert panel should be appointed to critique it and develop recommendations if it is found lacking.
Independent scientific oversight and monitoring should be required when significant compatibility issues exist between mining and fisheries, as is the case at Pebble. Our renewable public resources deserve no less.
Dr. Carol Ann Woody is a former federal fisheries scientist, serves on the Environmental Concerns Committee for the American Fisheries Society and consults for tribes and non-profits, some of which are opposed to the Pebble mine.
By CAROL ANN WOODY