Trump Administration's Approval of Controversial Alaska Mine Put on Hold Amid Republican Opposition

The fate of a proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska's Bristol Bay, which has sparked concerns over its potential environmental impact, may be put on hold due to a last-minute campaign by a group of high-profile Republicans, including the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., and Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The mine's approval had been on the verge of being granted by the Trump administration despite environmental groups' warnings that it could harm the region's sockeye salmon fishery.

Key Takeaways:

• The proposed Pebble Mine, which would be the largest in North America, has faced opposition from environmental groups over its potential impact on Bristol Bay's sockeye salmon fishery.
• A small group of high-profile Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and Vice President Pence's former chief of staff Nick Ayers, have launched a campaign to block the project.
• This campaign has prompted the White House to reassess the mine's approval, according to two individuals familiar with the matter.
• The project's sponsor, Pebble Limited Partnership, is continuing to negotiate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over its plan to offset the mine's environmental footprint.
• Trout Unlimited President Chris Wood said the opposition from Republicans could be decisive in blocking the mine, noting that "those who have been working on this for a long time realize this central fact, that Republicans fish, too."

Statistics:

• 2,200 acres of wetlands and 105 miles of streams would be permanently destroyed by the mine.
• The mine is expected to have "no measurable effect" on the area's fish populations, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• The proposed mine has been in development for over a decade, with earlier investors Anglo American and Rio Tinto pulling out in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
• The mine's approval would be a significant decision in the permitting process, with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a bipartisan hunting and fishing group, running ads on Fox News and Twitter decrying the mine.

Sources:

• "For the three minutes, the president listened attentively to what Don Jr. was saying." - Andrew Sabin, a Trump donor and precious metals magnate, as quoted in a phone interview.
• "Those of who have been working on this for a long time realize this central fact, that Republicans fish, too." - Trout Unlimited President Chris Wood, as quoted in a phone interview.
• "We have always anticipated adding a major mining company as an operating partner." - Tom Collier, Pebble Limited Partnership CEO, as quoted in an interview.
• "We're now in a point in the process that time is short. Either people speak up now, or we hold our tongues and there's a massive mine in the world's biggest salmon fishery." - Trout Unlimited President Chris Wood, as quoted in a phone interview.