In the past couple weeks, I’ve noticed lots of locals telling everyone how bad DOWA, and the possibility of the Palmer project turning into a mine is for Chilkat Valley residents and the fish that spawn here. They say they’re against pollution, a boom-and-bust economy, and that they care about fish and our subsistence lifestyle that we all enjoy. I think it’s safe to say we all care about those things. But the funny thing is that those same people writing about caring about the fish support large cruise ships coming to Haines and Southeast Alaska, when those ships have been caught dumping pollutants in our waters. And with the growing concern of more, bigger ships with more people means more dumping and more pollutants in our waters. Things like black water, grey water, and scrubber water are bad for us, fish and the environment. The cruise ships can dump this stuff in our waters as long as they are three miles off shore, but they have been caught dumping in all Southeast waters. This has been happening for years. It’s not just something that might happen in the future!
Why don’t we stop this double standard of it’s okay for them but not for you, and not-in-my-backyard attitude, and do something about the ones that are already proven to pollute our waters!
I do NOT support large cruise ships in Southeast waters or the negative impacts they have on the Chilkat Valley!
Born and raised Local,
Ryan Cook