"A coalition of Alaska Native tribes will intervene to support the Environmental Protection Agency in a lawsuit that challenges its authority to halt a major copper and gold mine near Bristol Bay.

The United Tribes of Bristol Bay originally asked the EPA to block the permit for the proposed Pebble Mine using its authority under section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act. They announced Thursday that they will continue to fight against the project by joining Pebble’s lawsuit against the EPA for initiating the permit veto process before an application was filed.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell (R) recently decided to join the lawsuit on Pebble’s behalf."

Timothy Cama reports for The Hill July 3, 2014. [2]