Bristol Bay
Donors
TU Businesses, Orvis, Fly Out Media
In what has become one of the conservation battles of our generation, Trout Unlimited has been a leader on the frontlines to safeguard Bristol Bay, from the devastation of the Pebble Mine proposal for over a decade. Good things take time and we don’t plan to halt our work there until upfront protections are in place that promise anglers and residents can continue fishing its clear, uniquely productive waters for many generations.
Taking advantage of a political window in 2018, the threat of Pebble moved from an ill-conceived idea to a project advancing through permitting. TU was there to meet this rising challenge with the help of numerous business members, chapter leaders, volunteers and “clicktivists” from across the continent.
Together we kept Pebble on the defensive.
Thanks to input from across the country, Bristol Bay advocates celebrated a supportive nod from former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, which came just weeks after Pebble filed for one of its key permit applications. Trout Unlimited delivered thousands of messages to decision makers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the permitting agency), in opposition to Pebble’s key permit and continues to uncover staggering issues with the plans set forth by Pebble and the permitting process itself. Throughout the course of the year, we have communicated these issues with key decision makers, urging them to halt the process leading to an ill-conceived and poorly planned mine at Bristol Bay’s headwaters.
One critical outcome of the strong public opposition was Pebble’s sole financial partner, First Quantum Minerals, backed out of the deal leaving Pebble unfunded and once again scrambling to find the capital to continue.
Despite more than 400,000 anti-Pebble mine comments, the Corps continues to advance the permit on an unprecedented timeline, leaving the future of Bristol Bay in limbo and Trout Unlimited hard at work.
- TU members and supporters who continually generate many thousands of comments time and again.
- Orvis who partnered with TU’s Alaska team on paid ads, opinion articles and in attending D.C. meetings to ensure the “Save Bristol Bay” message is heard.
- Fly Out Media, the number one donor of imagery and video.
- Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge, Bear Trail Lodge, No See Um Lodge, Grizzly Skins of Alaska, and Crystal Creek Lodge who signed on to letters, called Alaska’s congressional delegation and state leaders, traveled to Washington, D.C. and fundraised on behalf of the sportfishing businesses and interests in the region.
- Wild for Salmon and Pride of Bristol Bay, two TU business members working to ensure our supporters get to taste the bounty of Bristol Bay in a sustainable way that gives back by donating a portion of each order to the “Save Bristol Bay” campaign.