EPA: The Snake in the Wood Pile

By Sandra Wirtz
Director of Research and Staff Blogger American Resources Policy Network

 In light of our previous coverage of regulatory overreach at the EPA  - and the Pebble Deposit specifically – Sandra thought my readers might be interested in some insight into the challenges associated with the latest assessment.  Thanks to Sandra for sending this to me.  The Title is mine because so much of what they do is so corrupt and underhanded they are like a hidden viper striking without warning or reason.  RK

In a classic Friday afternoon drop, the EPA released its Revised Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment last week outlining the potential impacts of a hypothetical mine in the Bristol Bay region of southwestern Alaska. With the release, EPA’s latest effort to unilaterally expand its powers under the Clean Water Act and preemptively derail a promising mining project is going into the next round.

The Pebble Deposit could be the largest copper resource in American history, and its development would create hundreds or even thousands of much-needed jobs - particularly at a time when companies like Caterpillar are laying off mining equipment manufacturing workers due to weak demand.

Why the Friday afternoon drop?

And why did EPA acting-Administrator Bob Perciasepe tell media only two days before the release that the revised draft assessment would likely come out in May?

An answer may be found in the fact that the EPA's study relies on research conducted by the U.S. firm Stratus Consulting and Ann Maest, its Managing Scientist - both of which just a few short days ago publicly admitted to falsifying a research report.

Here’s more on the story from American Resources Policy Network principal Daniel McGroarty.   The fact is the EPA has attempted to escape scrutiny by burying their flawed assessment at the bottom of the news cycle.