118 HR 8193 IH: Bristol Bay Protection Act U.S. House of Representatives 2024-05-01 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8193IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 1, 2024Mrs. Peltola introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureA BILLTo prohibit and restrict certain actions in the Bristol Bay watershed, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bristol Bay Protection Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The Pebble Mine project proposes to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands, which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. (2)The discharge of dredged or fill material into these waters will have unacceptable adverse effects on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery areas, wildlife, and recreational areas. (3) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, pursuant to section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act, has prohibited the specification of the project area as a disposal site and has determined that the discharge of dredged or fill material into these waters will have unacceptable adverse effects, including— (A)the loss of approximately 8.5 miles (13.7 km) of documented anadromous fish streams; (B)the loss of approximately 91 miles (147 km) of additional streams that support anadromous fish streams; (C)the loss of approximately 2,108 acres (8.5 km2) of wetlands and other waters that support anadromous fish streams; and (D)adverse impacts on approximately 29 additional miles (46.7 km) of anadromous fish streams resulting from greater than 20 percent changes in average monthly streamflow. (4)Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed is an area of unparalleled ecological value, boasting salmon diversity and productivity unrivaled anywhere in North America. (5)The region’s salmon resources have supported Alaska Native cultures for thousands of years and continue to support one of the last intact salmon-based cultures in the world. (6)The Bristol Bay watershed’s largely undisturbed aquatic habitats and productive salmon populations create this globally significant ecological and cultural resource. (7)People in the Bristol Bay region rely on subsistence resources to provide high-quality foods, foster a healthy lifestyle, and form the basis for social relations. Much of the region’s population practices subsistence, with salmon making up a large portion of their diets, and residents are particularly vulnerable to potential changes in salmon abundance.

3.

Codification of final determination relating to Pebble Deposit Area

The final determination of the Environmental Protection Agency, published on February 3, 2023, and titled Final Determination To Prohibit the Specification of and Restrict the Use for Specification of Certain Waters Within Defined Areas as Disposal Sites; Pebble Deposit Area, Southwest Alaska (88 Fed. Reg. 7441), shall have the force and effect of law.