I moved to Haines because I love fishing, recreating, and this incredible subsistence lifestyle that exists nowhere else. I make my money remotely and put most of my earnings into the Haines economy. I am one of the types of people that the community has identified as location neutral in order to “create year-round economy.” If Haines was not the way it is, I would not live here. And neither would the other people like me.
Last week I learned that Constantine submitted an ‘amendment’ to their permit that expands their hard rock exploration activities. The ‘amendment’ includes seismic blasting on the Klehini, a 5.6-mile road and possible bridge through Glacier Creek. This is a place that many people recreate and is the spawning habitat for the salmon we subsist on. Does anyone see an issue with this?
Road building and seismic blasting on the Klehini is not an ‘amendment’ – it is an entirely different project that should require a new permit. Due to public outrage, DNR extended public comments by a couple weeks. Thanks…but still not adequate time for people to give informed comments and understand an extremely complex issue that affects our whole community.
I hope the Haines Borough Assembly will step in and represent our rights as residents to have adequate time to learn what seismic blasting on the Klehini and a road through Glacier Creek actually means for our community, and support the request from hundreds of people, including Klukwan, that Constantine file a new permit for this new project.
Vanessa Aida