ENGULFED – A house on Bart Island, in Thimbleberry Bay, is consumed by fire Wednesday evening. The Sitka Fire Department was able to prevent the house at right from catching fire. No one was injured in the fire. Twenty firefighters were dispatched to the island, which is accessed by a foot bridge and a series of dirt driveways, about 1,000 feet from Sawmill Creek Road. (Photo provided by Dave Moore)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A fire destroyed a small island house in Thimbleberry [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola has included $5.8 million for [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city announced Wednesday that $62,795 was stolen [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A day of street performances, art, food and music, cap [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS,
CLAIRE STREMPLE and
YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The 33rd Alaska State Legislature [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Legislature has passed a bill that combines carbon sto [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 15
Shortly after noon, callers complain [ ... ]
U.S. Coast Guard
Sets Town Hall
On Boat Accident
The U.S. Coast Guard will hold a town hall 5-8 p.m. to [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
After four months of special meetings to review and d [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Living amid craggy peaks and remnant glaciers, Southea [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
In the play opening Thursday at the Sitka Performing [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A late-session attempt to salvage a proposal that would revive [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 14
At 7:46 a.m. a reckless driver was r [ ... ]
Life Celebration
For Carl Peterson
The family of Carl Peterson, 85, will have a celebration of his lif [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Alaska Department of Education is taking public c [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s pent-up demand for swim lessons was in full [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Racing against schools from across Southeast in the l [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka’s softballers split a three-game series with Juneau-Douglas Friday a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Members of the Alaska Senate approved a bill that would increa [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 13
At 12:43 a.m. an out-of-town caller [ ... ]
Robin Klanott, 61
Dies in Anchorage
Longtime Sitka resident Robin Klanott passed away at Anchorage Reg [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly is winding up work on the city budgets f [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska state lawmakers are preparing for a final vote on a bill t [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Playing in variable weather in the last regular seaso [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Pebble Mine Opponents Lose Round in Lawsuit
JUNEAU (AP) — Opponents have lost a court case against the proposed copper and gold mine near a major salmon fishery in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could withdraw a “proposed determination” about potential negative mine impacts dating from 2014, Alaska Public Media reported Sunday.
The determination had concluded the mining project, named the Pebble Mine, posed too great a threat to the salmon-rich waters of Bristol Bay.
The judge’s ruling was based on the amount of latitude government agencies have and what is subject to legal review, rather than the merits or dangers of the mine.
The case focused on a “preemptive veto” the EPA issued during the administration of President Barack Obama, before Pebble Limited Partnership filed an application for the mine in Southwest Alaska.
The mine’s federal permit application is pending with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA retains the right to veto the permit, a power that was not diminished by Friday’s ruling.
The mine proposal has loomed over the region for years. But Pebble Limited Partnership did not apply for a permit while Obama was in office.
The mining company and Alaska’s congressional delegation have complained of government overreach, saying the EPA tried to veto the project before seeing an application. The mining company eventually applied for a Clean Water Act permit in 2017.
The EPA said last year it would withdraw its proposed determination against the mine, which prompted the lawsuit by mine foes including the organizations Trout Unlimited, SalmonState and Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp.
The Corps of Engineers plans to issue its final environmental impact statement on the project this summer, one of the last steps before issuing a decision on the permit.
The EPA has said the science that the Corps is relying upon is inadequate and likely understates the harm to the bay.
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20 YEARS AGO
May 2004
Photo caption: Jimmy Bracket, second mate of the new fast ferry Fairweather gives a tour of the $36 million ship to Sitkans Leslie Pellett and Jeff vonRekowski Thursday. The 235-foot ferry can carry 35 cars and 150 passengers, go as fast as 42 knots and consumes 560 gallons of fuel an hour.
50 YEARS AGO
May 1974
Two changes have been announced in the cruise ship schedules. The first ship to arrive in Sitka will be the Xanadu on May 26, and an additional voyage of the Arcadia will be on Sept. 21, which will mean two ships in port here at the same time: the Arcadia and the Spirit of London. Sitka will have two cruise ships in port on seven days this summer.