Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) applauds Region 10 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for issuing a Clean Water Act Section 404(c) Recommended Determination. This is the next step in the administrative process to protect the Bristol Bay watershed from the proposed Pebble mine. EPA headquarters must still review the Recommended Determination and do additional outreach with the affected parties before the agency can issue a Final Determination.
BBNC President and CEO Jason Metrokin made the following statement regarding the Recommended Determination:
We thank EPA for its longstanding commitment to the people – and salmon – of Bristol Bay. The current EPA process is the product of decades of research, analysis, data gathering, and public comment and should allow for a targeted approach that, when finalized, will help safeguard Bristol Bay’s economy and way of life for future generations. BBNC joins many across the region and across Alaska in calling for EPA to issue a Final Determination as quickly as possible to provide certainty as we head towards what should be another historic fishing season.
For the last 13 years, BBNC has joined the overwhelming majority of our shareholders in standing against the proposed Pebble mine. We are glad to be one step closer to ending this long chapter in our region’s history, and, looking forward, we will never be complacent in fighting for Bristol Bay, its people, its fish, and our Native way of life.
Bristol Bay Native Corporation
Anchorage, AK
Let’s band together to get things done
Wow – as if it isn’t bad enough that the fares are already an arm and a leg, Ravn has decided it is making people pay for baggage now. Why? So they can bring mail instead.
Like: they charge us to go one way from Unalakleet to Anchorage $449 at any time full refundable fare. For purchase of the non-refundable tickets one way: 2 to 3 weeks in advance $259, 1 week in advance $309, and a day ahead $374, from Anchorage to Unalakleet $384. Double the amount for the round trip.
Then, if you think you want to use your Alaska Airline mileage, it went up from 10,000 miles to 25,000 or 40,000 miles one way.
There are other airlines who can benefit from bringing the mail, why should Ravn be so greedy? They sure aren’t servicing their customers that way. Doesn’t it say “Greed comes before the fall?” you are not the only airline around. Shame on you for not taking care of your customers.
Maybe another airline should step up to the plate. What are you afraid of? I’m pretty sure people around here would be happy enough to go with someone else. I sure miss PenAir or Hageland. What a crock Ravn and Alaska Airlines turned out to be.
Along with back in the day if you did things that you do now you would get 86’d out of your village. What happened to you all? How can you let these things happen in your village? Do you now care that it is your child who is getting abused? Wasn’t it bad enough that it happened to you? Don’t you want to stop the cycle of violence/abuse? Aren’t you tired of the effects that happen when you drink or do hard drugs?
If you care enough about your village, you would band together to come up with solutions to these century old problems. Even if it means you have to send your loved one away for the betterment of others. In order to heal a community you must want change.
If people did not get 86’d for what they did, they probably had to go find a twig to get spanked with. Instead we played games with each other, hunted and fished with each other, went camping or on picnics together. Interaction with each other is important. You are all important – time to act that way again. Time to show you care.
Please take care you all. Don’t forget to give to your Elders. Remember, they miss doing those things.
Karen Nanouk
Unalakleet, AK
