Live: Rally to stop Pebble Mine permitting happening outside Sen. Murkowski’s office

12:45 p.m.

The rally is pretty much over at this point, there were three speakers: Lindsey Bloom, Joe Geldof and Frank Rue. Stay tuned for our full article about the event.

12:35 p.m.

Joe Geldof has the mic.

12:30 p.m.

Here’s Lindsey Bloom, wrapping up:

12:25 p.m.

Here’s video of one of the speakers, Lindsey Bloom on Salmon State:

12:20 p.m.

Guy Archibald, staff scientist for the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, is one of the faces in the crowd at the rally. He said his opposition to the mine is the incremental stress it would put on the environment. “It’s the wrong mine in the wrong place,” he said. He said it’s time for Murkowski to decide if she stands with Alaskans or a foreign mining company.

12:15 p.m.

Here’s a few pics and video of the scene.

12:10 p.m.

There are about 35 protesters outside, and Juneau resident Nola Lamken was one of the first people to show up. She said her opposition to Pebble Mine is its potential impact on salmon runs.

Noon

Ralliers today are organizing in Juneau as part of a statewide No Pebble Mine Rally organized by environmental nonprofit The Alaska Center.

Public comment for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Draft Environmental Impact Statement closes in July, so rally-goers are voicing their opposition to the proposed open-pit mine near Bristol Bay. They’re gathering in front of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Juneau office.

Other rally sites this week are Soldotna, Anchorage, Wasilla and Fairbanks.

Previously, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act that would suspend funding for Pebble Mine permitting in Fiscal Year 2020, and Alaska Center hopes the Senate will do the same.

Stay tuned for live coverage of the event.

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• Contact reporter Ben Hohenstatt at (907)523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BenHohenstatt.

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