Pebble Mine vetoed after long fight by Sen. Cantwell and fishermen

Environmental activists, tribal communities, and fishermen are celebrating a massive conservation decision: the EPA's rejection Monday of the Pebble Mine.

The proposed copper and gold mine on Bristol Bay, Alaska, has been a topic of federal debate for nearly 15 years.

The bay is known as the holy grail for salmon because of the massive size of the salmon run, and rare lack of human development.

The EPA used a rare power to reject the project: a veto-authority under the Clean Water Act. The agency has used this specific authority only 14 times in history.

The agency cited the potential damage a mining operation and its adjacent activities could cause to 8.5 miles of streams used by salmon, among other reasons for the veto.