As practicing physicians who live, raise families and care for patients in this community, we are compelled to stand against a proposed mine near the headwaters of the Chilkat River.
The recently released report drafted by Dr. Thomas Powers, “The Social Costs of Mining on Rural Communities,” provides a well-researched reference for many of the conclusions that we, as country physicians, had already reached as a function of our training and collective experiences caring for the patients of rural America. Powers documents the likelihood of increases in substance use disorders, domestic and non-domestic violence, and depression/anxiety. We believe these conditions would enact a toll in physical, emotional and social suffering that would far outweigh any potential economic benefit to this community. A project of this scale must be evaluated by considering its total impacts. The influx of hundreds of transient, mostly single, young men with two weeks off every month and lots of money to spend has a high potential of bringing social/medical illnesses into our community that we will struggle to treat.
Health care in America is already straining to meet the needs of rural citizens. Mental health services are inadequate, primary care clinicians and nurses are few, and rurally-oriented ones are scarce. Prevention is always better, surer and easier than the cure.
Tom Wendel, MDLylith WidmerMD
Adam McMahan, MDGreg Higgins, MD