"Opponents of the Pebble Mine lost one of their lawsuits Friday, when a federal court judge ruled against them.

The case is about the so-called “pre-emptive veto” the Environmental Protection Agency issued during the Obama administration, before the Pebble Partnership filed its application for a proposed gold and copper mine in Southwest Alaska.

Pebble’s federal permit application is now pending with the Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA still has the right to veto the permit. Friday’s legal ruling does not diminish that power.

Pebble’s mine proposal has loomed over the region for years, but Pebble did not apply for a permit while Obama was president."

Liz Ruskin reports for Alaska Public Media April 17, 2020. [2]