Permanently storing toxic mine waste near the Klehini River? Many thanks to Haines Borough Assembly Members Debra Schnabel and Ben Aultman-Moore for hand digging through a pile of double speak and conflicts of interest. Might Dowa-Alaska’s new proposal for drilling and seismic testing near the Klehini River relate to siting a future mine tailings facility? After about ten minutes of cheerleading and obfuscation, the highly paid Vice-President of a foreign-owned corporation, Liz Cornejo, finally had to confess. The new testing and drilling is, potentially, aimed at siting a toxic mine-waste containment structure adjacent to the Klehini River. Think Mount Polly disaster in B.C., a similar scenario. Yet, our Assembly couldn’t muster four votes to request, at a minimum, that ADNR allow a rational, reasonable period for public comment. Pay no attention to the woman, and money, behind the curtain.
Long, long after readers are dust, if developed, this terribly sited project will have profound impacts to Chilkat River fisheries. Metal-mine tailing impoundments are supposed to last forever, hundreds of years beyond when the last ore truck rolls, and the gazillion in reclamation dollars are pissed away. Mine tailings impoundments are among the largest man-made structures on the planet. About 3,500 exist worldwide – all built for perpetuity – none over 100 years old. Please stand with Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan) and oppose large-scale, hard-rock mining. Keep multinational, toxic polluters out and protect our home-grown super food and fisheries. Keep the Chilkat River Salmon Strong.
Burl Sheldon