It’s been quite the year for all of us. We have been challenged these last ten months. Despite the challenges, we at Deneki like to focus on the positives and one of the best things that happened in 2020 is the TKO of Pebble Mine.
For the last ten years, Trout Unlimited has been saving Bristol Bay, Alaska from Pebble mine. From the bottom of our hearts would like to thank Trout Unlimited and their entire team for their efforts. In particular, a shout out to Meghan Barker, whose relentless efforts to keep the public informed on all the updates led the charge with Save Bristol Bay. A big “Job Well Done” goes out to Nelli Williams, Alaska Director, Trout Unlimited. With her guidance and leadership, Bristol Bay, Alaska is now in a better place. Finally to all our Save Bristol Bay Guide Ambassadors and lodges including Rapids Camp Lodge’s very own Chad Bryson (@captchadbryson), Jeremy Inman (@polar_jear), and Brent Borcherdt (@brentborcherdt) Thank you for all your collaborative efforts. We truly appreciate it.
All that being said, we are still not in the clear. Even though Pebble mine may be off the table we still need to make sure long-term protections are set up for Bristol Bay, Alaska to prevent future land and water degrading projects. Please visit Save Bristol Bay to see how you can take action contribute to the cause.
Below is the full update from Save Bristol Bay. If you’d like to stay up to date, please consider signing up for their newsletter.
| Dear friends of Bristol Bay, As this year comes to a close, I want to sincerely thank you for your support in a monumental year for Bristol Bay. Your generosity this year did not go unnoticed, and we are endlessly grateful for your support. Thank you. For more than a decade, Trout Unlimited has worked to stop the proposed Pebble mine because of its clear and unavoidable threats to the most prolific sockeye salmon fishery on the planet, indigenous cultures, and the fishing business owners and local residents with whom we work closely and consider among our friends. With a huge win under our belts, we’re asking for your commitment again as we pursue long-term protections. If you are able, please consider a donation today. At the beginning of the decade, we saw science back up local concerns about the idea of a mega-mine in this special place. Science clearly showed that industrial mining in Bristol Bay watersheds was incompatible with the fishery. Still, Pebble pushed forward. We watched Pebble seize a window of opportunity, applying for its key, federal permit in 2017. Since then, we’ve worked incredibly hard together to push back on a mine plan barreling toward reality. At times along the way, Pebble felt unstoppable – but we kept at it. Despite the uphill battle, you dug in with us. You spoke up repeatedly, called on new friends, and continued to point to the strong science that clearly shows Pebble is the wrong mine for the wrong place. We delivered petitions and letters straight to members of Congress and the White House, worked across the aisle with elected officials, and continued to build pressure for a permit denial until the day the news broke. After all these years, the permit denial represents the power of what happens when we come together in the name of conservation. While we stopped Pebble mine for now and the momentum is on our side, our work continues until we have secured durable, up-front protection for the region. Join our effort today. When I think about the next decade, I am eager to remove the cloud of fear that Pebble brings to Bristol Bay. I want to stand by our local partners and support work that will ensure Pebble (or other mining companies) won’t come back in the future. With huge amounts of gratitude for your voices and generosity, we look back on 2020 and know that we collectively earned a massive win. With renewed energy and passion, we look forward with our eyes dead set on getting Bristol Bay the protections it deserves. Please consider giving today to help us forge ahead in our next chapter for Bristol Bay.  Sincerely, Meghan Barker Bristol Bay Organizer, Trout Unlimited |
Nature over profits! Save this treasure.