Citing 'Defined' Sites, Alaska, Developers Call EPA's Mine Veto Plan Unlawful

摘要

Pebble Mine developers and the state of Alaska are warning that EPA's potential preemptive veto of disposal areas for the controversial planned mine would exceed the scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA), arguing that the agency's authority extends only to sites that have been "defined" in a permit application. "Congress only granted EPA authority to prohibit or restrict specified disposal sites under [CWA] Section 404(c), not to set aside areas of land in advance of any permit application," the Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) writes in an April 29 letter to EPA. Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com. See page 2 for details.