At the Sept. 22 Haines Borough Assembly meeting, Lynn Canal Conservation was accused of using ‘scare tactics’ in our Sept. 14 member alert. Risks of an ore terminal in Haines should not be minimized or ignored. Fugitive dust along the haul road is just one of the risks posed by an ore terminal. The dangers of fugitive dust, spills, and collisions are relevant to a salmon-dependent community whose road parallels the Chilkat River and passes by our homes. Two drops of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool is how little copper it takes to disrupt salmon survival. Skagway’s children suffered high lead levels due to ore transport dust, and their harbor is still contaminated. LCC’s alert did highlight the need for transparency and public involvement in controversial decisions, the potential dangers of developing an ore port to serve sulfide mines, and the dangers of sharing our highway with ore trucks. Let’s have an informed and open discussion. Alaska’s public funds should not be used to subsidize foreign mining companies and their risky projects. As the granddaughter of a proud miner, I know miners want to provide an honest living for their families. But mining companies don’t talk about the sacrifices communities must make. If my grandfather had known his children’s and grandchildren’s health would be compromised, and the fish he loved would become endangered in Lake Coeur d’Alene as its basin filled with mine runoff, old ‘Hard Rock’ would have fought to protect what he loved. We must do the same.
Jessica Plachta
Executive Director, LCC