All this could change if an ill-conceived plan is allowed to move forward. A proposed project called Pebble Mine would produce copper, gold and molybdenum. It would be North America’s largest open-pit mine. Its operation would require a massive dam to contain the toxic mine waste.
However, toxic byproducts inevitably can leach from such impoundments into local waters. In addition, Bristol Bay is in a seismic zone prone to frequent earthquakes, putting these dams at more risk. History has shown us repeatedly that it’s costly and almost impossible to stop toxic runoff from an open-pit mine from flowing into nearby waters, in this case, Bristol Bay.........
But there’s a trade-off. Bristol Bay is already a $500 million fishery, supporting 14,000 commercial and recreational jobs. It makes no sense to risk 14,000 permanent jobs supported by the healthy bay for a couple thousand jobs — and the high likelihood of irreversible damage to the fishery.
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