阿拉斯加布里斯托灣鮭魚群可說是全世界最珍貴的鮭魚群之一，為了保護牠們免受超大型露天礦場的威脅，美國環保署（EPA）18日針對佩柏礦脈的開採提出管制計畫。
佩柏礦脈由加拿大溫哥華北方王朝礦產公司（Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd）和阿拉斯加安克拉治佩柏夥伴有限公司（Pebble Limited Partnership, PLP）共同持有，礦藏包括銅、金和鉬。EPA在一份聲明中提到，佩柏礦脈可能成為全世界最大的露天礦場，可深如大峽谷、面積大於曼哈頓，威脅全世界最豐富的鮭魚漁藏。
「科學證據清楚說明佩柏礦場可能對全世界最後一塊完整的鮭魚生態系統造成不可逆的破壞。布里斯托灣珍貴的漁藏需要最嚴密的保護。」EPA第10分署署長Dennis McLerran說。
EPA說，佩柏礦場估計將製造出可填平3,900個足球場館的尾礦和碎石。
尾礦的廢水估計將覆蓋19平方英哩，碎石則將覆蓋近9平方英哩的地區，而此地區有對鮭魚生態系至關重要的溪流、濕地、湖泊和池塘。
根據科學分析結果，EPA第10分署提案限制所有佩柏礦脈相關、可能導致溪流與溼地消失或溪流改道等問題部問題的疏浚或填充行為：
破壞溪流：導致5條以上已知有鮭魚出沒的溪流消失；或19條以上沒有鮭魚出沒記錄、但為鮭魚出沒溪流的支流
破壞溼地、湖泊和池塘：導致1100公頃以上已知有鮭魚出沒的溼地、湖泊和池塘消失，或是這些溪流的支流
溪流改道：導致已知有鮭魚出沒的溪流改道幅度大於20%日流量、長度超過9英哩
根據EPA的分析，以上的自然環境損失情形和嚴重幅度，對於淨水法第404節的布里斯托灣管理辦法，乃至全阿拉斯加地區甚至全國，都是史無前例的重大挑戰。
EPA第10分署預計在2014年7月21日至9月19日間聽取公眾意見，並將於8月12至15日辦理公聽會。
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed regulations to protect one of the world’s most valuable salmon fisheries, in Bristol Bay, Alaska, from the risks posed by a proposed open pit mine nearly as deep as the Grand Canyon and larger than Manhattan.
This deposit of copper, gold and molybdenum is owned by Northern Dynasty Minerals based in Vancouver, Canada and the Pebble Limited Partnership, based in Anchorage, Alaska. It could become one of the largest open pit mines in the world and would threaten one of the world’s most productive salmon fisheries, the EPA said in a statement.
“The science is clear that mining the Pebble deposit would cause irreversible damage to one of the world’s last intact salmon ecosystems. Bristol Bay’s exceptional fisheries deserve exceptional protection,” said Dennis McLerran, regional administrator for EPA Region 10.The proposed Pebble Mine would generate mine tailings and waste rock that would fill a football stadium up to 3,900 times, the EPA says.
Mine tailings impoundments would cover about 19 square miles and waste rock piles that would cover nearly nine square miles in an area with productive streams, wetlands, lakes and ponds important for salmon.
Based on scientific analysis, EPA Region 10 proposes to restrict all discharge of dredged or fill material related to mining the Pebble deposit that would result in any or all of the following:
Loss of streams: The loss of five or more miles of streams with documented salmon occurrence; or the loss of 19 or more miles of streams where salmon are not documented, but that are tributaries of streams with documented salmon occurrence
Loss of wetlands, lakes, and ponds: The loss of 1,100 or more acres of wetlands, lakes, and ponds that connect with streams with documented salmon occurrence or tributaries of those streams
Streamflow alterations: Streamflow alterations greater than 20 percent of daily flow in nine or more linear miles of streams with documented salmon occurrence
According to EPA analyses, losses of the nature and magnitude listed above would be unprecedented for the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program in the Bristol Bay region, as well as the rest of Alaska and perhaps the nation.
EPA Region 10 is seeking public comment on its proposal from July 21 to September 19, 2014, and will hold public meetings in Alaska from August 12-15.
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