Southeast Alaska Rivers Threatened by Massive British Columbia Mines
The Taku, Stikine and Unuk rivers are massive river systems that flow from the mountains of Canada into Southeast Alaska. These three rivers host Southeast Alaska’s largest runs of wild salmon and steelhead and produce more than 80 percent of the king salmon in the region.
These rivers and their fish face significant threats from exploration and development of more than a dozen large-scale mines and other industrial development on the Canadian side of the border. These mines have the potential to harm water quality and fisheries, and affect the jobs, culture, and way of life for downstream communities, businesses, and Tribes in Southeast Alaska and beyond. In short, Alaska bears nearly all the environmental risk and burden, with none of the economic reward.
These rivers and their fish face significant threats from exploration and development of more than a dozen large-scale mines and other industrial development on the Canadian side of the border. These mines have the potential to harm water quality and fisheries, and affect the jobs, culture, and way of life for downstream communities, businesses, and Tribes in Southeast Alaska and beyond. In short, Alaska bears nearly all the environmental risk and burden, with none of the economic reward.
Please support the long-term health of the Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers by adding your name to this letter.
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Dear State and Federal leaders,
The undersigned anglers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are concerned about the impacts large-scale mining in British Columbia could have on downstream U.S. communities and urge state and federal leaders to establish binding, international agreements that support and sustain clean water and healthy fisheries in rivers that are shared by the United States and Canada. Of particular, and immediate concern are 15 large-scale mines, in various stages of exploration, development and operation, in the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk River watersheds in Southeast Alaska. Weakened mine regulations and low standards of financial assurances on the Canadian side of the border have encouraged industrial mine expansion in the area with little regard for potential downstream impacts. Without federal intervention for Southeast Alaska and its significant salmon fishing industry, Alaskans have nothing to gain from these upstream mines and everything to lose. We urge our leaders to speak up on this critical issue that impacts Southeast Alaskans and the sport and commercial fishing businesses that depend on the fishery and thousands of visitors each season. Alaskans, and all who care about the fisheries here, deserve and depend on an agreement between the two countries that provides adequate financial assurances if Canadian mines damage downstream fisheries or water quality, and stronger and enforceable oversight and regulation to protect American jobs, communities, and way of life from the impacts of massive upstream mining. Sincerely, Click here to add your name - Thousands of Alaskans and American anglers |