In late June, Cook Inletkeeper joined Alaska Native tribes and fishing groups to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s re-issued Clean Water Act permit that will allow the oil and gas industry to almost triple the amount of toxic waste dumped into Cook Inlet’s rich and productive fisheries each year. Cook Inlet is the only coastal waterbody in the nation where the oil and gas industry may legally dump its toxic waste, even though oil and gas prices remain at record highs and the technology exists to reinject the wastes back into formation. Despite the relatively lax permit terms enjoyed by industry, it has violated its permit thousands of times over the past decade. Inletkeeper is now working with counsel at Trustees for Alaska to challenge the re-issued permit in federal court. For more information, see: http://www.inletkeeper.org/energy/production.htm

(Source:  Cook Inletkeeper Update, July 17, 2007)

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