If You Need a Reason to Comment on KSM Mine...

Discussion area for political and legal issues affecting Alaskan salmon fisheries.
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ata
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If You Need a Reason to Comment on KSM Mine...

Post by ata »

Hi All:

The news today is grim. Huge tailings pond breach at the Mount Polly Mine in British Columbia. People have been evacuated, drinking water is considered questionable, and some fish have already died. The tailings were dumped into the Quesnel and Cariboo River systems up to the Fraser River, where a record breaking sockeye run is just entering the system. Here in Southeast we catch Chinook from that watershed. http://globalnews.ca/news/1491946/imper ... statement/

The breach is said to be the equivalent of 2,000 Olympic sized swimming pools. An that holding pond is just 1/6th the size of what's expected to contain the KSM mine tailings. KSM will impact both the Unuk River in Alaska and the Skeena River in British Columbia - both important tributaries for Alaska and Canadian fishermen of all kinds. An equally large mine, Galore Creek, is planned for the Stikine River watershed and there are many more large-scale mines in the lineup with 2015 production dates.

Let's face it, this wasn't a question of 'if', but 'when'. We have to work to avoid future disasters of this nature.

Please search out my other recent post on this site with details and links about KSM mine and how to comment. Your letter doesn't have to be long, it's just important that something is said to our neighbors about our common watershed. There is some additional information on the ATA webpage http://www.aktrollers.org and we'll update it ASAP. Deadline is August 20th.

If you can't carve out a few minutes during the closure to write, please at least head to this site and sign on to our group letter: http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6221/p/dia/ ... _KEY=18198

Encourage your legislator, the governor and the state agencies to be involved as well!

Fishermen must walk our sustainability talk and defend the fish and game resources that we rely upon.

No surrender!

Dale
ATA
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