The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday took a major step forward on reversing the Obama administration's restrictions on opening a gold mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

The EPA released its proposal to remove the 2014 Obama-era plan that blocked the Pebble Mine on the basis of the potential impact it would have on water quality and the number of salmon that indigenous populations rely upon in that part of the state.

The proposal reflects Administrator Scott Pruitt's decision to provide the Pebble Mine developers more time to submit a permit application to the Army Corps of Engineers "and potentially allow the Army Corps permitting process to initiate without having an open and unresolved Section 404(c) review" under the Clean Water Act, according to an agency notice.

"A withdrawal of the proposed determination would remove any uncertainty, real or perceived, about [the developer's] ability to submit a permit application and have that permit application reviewed," it added.

Opponents of the mine were disappointed with Tuesday's decision to reopen the permit process. The proposed action is expected to be published in the Federal Register soon, starting a 90-day period for stakeholders to submit comments about the proposal.