Brits threaten the biggest salmon run on earth

Kaytee Riek —

Forty million salmon are in danger from the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska, which threatens to pollute miles of pristine streams and wetlands.

One company has already pulled out.

The proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska will destroy the largest sockeye salmon run in the world—and mining giant Rio Tinto holds the key to saving it.

If built, the Pebble Mine would be the world’s largest open-pit copper and gold mine. It’s vital that we stop this mine—for the sake of the wild salmon, and for Alaskans who depend on local salmon to survive.

Grilled, herbed salmon with rice & veggies

Rio Tinto owns a huge share of Northern Dynasty Minerals, the company that will operate Pebble Mine if the US government approves it. But there’s some good news—one company has already dropped out, and Rio Tinto may be reconsidering its holdings in Northern Dynasty.

In two weeks, Alaskan native leaders are attending Rio Tinto’s annual shareholder meeting in London, and we have asked them to bring the voices of hundreds of thousands of SumOfUs.org members with them. Can you add your name to the petition?

Tell Rio Tinto to pull out of the mine that will destroy the largest wild sockeye salmon run in the world.

The proposed Pebble Mine threatens to pollute miles of pristine streams and wetlands in and around Bristol Bay, the home of 40 million sockeye salmon. The Bay supplies nearly 50 percent of the world’s commercial sockeye, generates $480 million in annual revenue, and supports 14,000 jobs a year.

Another mining giant, Anglo American, dropped its stake in Pebble Mine last year after originally investing $541 million in the project. We think that Rio Tinto is seriously considering pulling its shares and support from Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Mine. If Rio Tinto drops its support, the project will likely die. These companies know that groups working on the ground will fight to the end to protect Bristol Bay.

Already, over 130,000 SumOfUs.org supporters have called on Northern Dynasty to drop the mine. It hasn’t acted, but if Rio Tinto dumps its shares in Northern Dynasty, the Pebble Mine will be as good as dead.