A coalition of groups that oppose the Pebble Mine has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It’s the second such lawsuit in two days.
This time, the plaintiffs are 14 environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife.
On Tuesday, the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp., United Tribes of Bristol Bay and three other groups from the region announced their own, similar suit.
Tim Bristol leads SalmonState, one of the environmental plaintiffs. He says it’s likely the two lawsuits will be merged into one, but that it was appropriate to let the local groups press their claim separately.
Both federal lawsuits challenge the EPA’s decision this summer to throw out the so-called “pre-emptive veto” of the project.
The Pebble Partnership says the early veto, issued before Pebble applied for its permits, was unfair and bad public policy. In a separate development, a U.S. House Transportation subcommittee has announced it will hold a hearing on the Pebble project this month. It will be chaired by Rep. Grace Napolitano D-Calif. She has accused the Trump administration of playing a “shell game” in favor of granting the Pebble permits.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said Trout Unlimited was among 14 environmental groups that filed a lawsuit on Wednesday. Trout Unlimited filed a similar lawsuit Wednesday, but in a separate complaint from the other environmental groups.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
