NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to initiate a 404(c) process review that halts development in the Bristol Bay region before the Pebble Partnership’s permit application has even been filed:
“Apparently EPA sees no limit on its powers to interfere with another federal or state agency process for permitting projects that create high-wage jobs. Over the past several years, we’ve seen EPA tell other agencies to violate their rules and stop review, step in years later and revoke permits and, today, order agencies to refrain from consideration of a permit before it has been submitted. It seems that it can never be too soon or too late for EPA to interfere with projects and destroy the economic and job opportunities they bring for Americans.”