Regarding Joe Poor’s pro-mining letter: The difference between glaciers and mining companies is intention. Glaciers have none; they simply obey gravity and grind up whatever rock they encounter. Miners obey investors and grind up ore bodies likely to contain valuable minerals. Unfortunately, these are often, as with Constantine’s claims, high sulfide deposits. The tailings, unlike glacial till, generate sulfuric acid which leaches toxic heavy metals into water bodies. Copper, for example, is toxic to aquatic life, interferes with salmon’s ability to move from fresh to salt water and to find their spawning grounds.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) from tailings is literally equivalent to millions of leaking car batteries on the side of a river. AMD is no liberal scare tactic – In 2016 Dan Sullivan, Lisa Murkowski, and Don Young, all conservative Republicans, petitioned the US State Department to pursue talks with Canada regarding threats that AMD generating mines in British Columbia pose to SE Alaskan fisheries.

Joe cites Alaska’s “toughest in the world” mining regulations. Alaska does not require water quality monitoring for mineral exploration or require applicants to provide baseline data of receiving waters before permitting lowering the quality of those waters. No state agency has authority to evaluate overall acceptability of a mine. There is no minimum economic benefit required to remove public values of clean water and access to land – even $1.00 is adequate.

Joe and Constantine oppose Tier 3 status for the Chilkat. But if they can operate without polluting, why do they oppose it?

Eric Holle