US Blocks Mining Plan in SalmonRich Gulf of Alaska

US environmental officials on Tuesday (31) halted plans to build a massive gold and copper mine in Alaska’s salmon-rich Bristol Bay. The decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a victory for environmentalists, the fishing industry and tribal groups who have been fighting Pebble Mine for two decades. According to the EPA, the plan was vetoed because it would “help protect Bristol Bay, the world’s most productive wild salmon ecosystem.” “The Bristol Bay Basin is a major economic engine, creating jobs, livelihoods and significant environmental and cultural value for the region,” agency administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.…