(CNN) The Environmental Protection Agency has lifted an Obama-era restriction that had blocked a controversial mining project in Alaska.

The Pebble Mine project, which is slated to be developed near Bristol Bay, Alaska, was blocked by the EPA during the Obama administration because scientists found that the copper and gold mine would devastate the bay's fish habitat. Bristol Bay includes one of the most valuable wild salmon fisheries in the world.

On Tuesday, the EPA announced that it will reverse that decision, and though the move does not guarantee the mine will be developed, the agency said it will now focus on the permit-review process in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers.

EPA's Chris Hladick, an administrator who presides over Alaska, said the "proposed determination" that previously blocked the project "does not account for the full record and does not grapple with differing conclusions" about the mine's potential environmental impacts.

"The agency has worked closely with the Army Corps to engage with stakeholders and the public on this issue, which has resulted in an expansive public record, including specific information about the proposed mining project that did not exist in 2014," Hladick said in a statement.

Read More