By Anthony Marangon
In 1987, color anomalies visible from aircraft in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region sparked a mineral exploration project known today as “Pebble Mine.” Pebble Mine’s site is estimated to be the second largest ore deposit of its type in the world in terms of value of the contained metal (a combination of copper, gold and molybdenum). Pebble Mine is located approximately 15 miles north of Iliamna Lake, which is home to the only known population of Pacific harbor seals living in fresh water in the U.S.
On November 19, 2012, the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) submitted a petition pursuant to the Endangered...