The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a long-awaited final determination on Friday, halting the proposed Pebble Mine project in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. The project, which would have been one of the world’s largest open-pit copper and gold mines, was blocked by the EPA in order to protect the area’s major salmon fishery.

The EPA’s decision follows a ban on the Pebble Mine project by the Biden administration on Wednesday. The decision was made in order to protect the Bristol Bay watershed, which is home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery and is a vital source of food, jobs, and culture for the local Native Alaskan communities.

The EPA’s announcement was met with praise from environmental groups, who have long opposed the Pebble Mine project. The EPA’s decision follows a lengthy review process, which included a scientific assessment of the project’s potential impacts on the environment.

The Pebble Mine project has been a source of controversy for years, with environmental groups, local Native Alaskan communities, and commercial fishermen all opposing the project. The EPA’s decision to block the Pebble Mine project is seen as a victory for these groups, who have argued that the mine would have caused irreparable damage to the local environment and economy.

The EPA’s decision to block the Pebble Mine project is a major victory for those who have opposed the project for years. The EPA’s decision will protect the Bristol Bay watershed and the local Native Alaskan communities who rely on it for food, jobs, and culture.