"A federal judge blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from taking action against a massive proposed mine in Alaska.

The ruling provides temporary relief for the Pebble Partnership, the developer behind the Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay.

The EPA proposed in July to block the mine due to its potential pollution and harm to tributaries of the bay. The unusual action has received national attention because Pebble has not filed a permit application.

District Judge H. Russel Holland’s ruling hinged on whether the EPA violated the federal law on advisory committees when it concluded that the mine would unacceptably harm waterways and the fish that live in them."

Timothy Cama reports for The Hill November 25, 2014. [2]