Tippets: Pebble Mine Contamination Review, Snake River Dams, Preference in Choosing Mates

November 16, 2016 By: Erin Block

  • An independent scientific report commissioned by the United Tribes of Bristol Bay revealed on-going contamination, including failure to properly close and reclaim past drill wells, by the company behind the proposed Pebble Mine. “Pebble has broken rules and promises in Bristol Bay for over a decade.  Without oversight, they will be free to continue with business as usual,” says Alannah Hurley, Executive Director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay.  Via Alaska Native News.
  • As transportation of goods has increasingly moved from shipping to rail, demand has grown to remove dams on the Snake River and restore its dwindling salmon population. “Removing the dams would allow those agricultural lands to prosper again,” writes Rebecca Bowe. “It would also save wild salmon by opening up more than 5,000 miles of natural habitat, and it would set in motion the largest watershed restoration project ever attempted.” Via Earth Justice.
  • New research from the University of Leicester shows female fish judge males based on their ability to design nests best suited for the conditions of their environment. And “The research team found that males change the design of their nests depending on the oxygen content of the water—making looser nests under low-oxygen conditions and more compact nests when oxygen increases.” Via Phys.org.