May 12, 2016

CONTACT:
Heather Hardcastle, Campaign Director, Salmon Beyond Borders, heather@salmonstate.org, (907) 209-8486
Rob Sanderson, Jr., 1st Vice President, Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, haida2009@gmail.com, (907) 821-8885
Frederick Otilius Olsen, Jr., Vice President, Organized Village of Kasaan and Chair, United Tribal Transboundary Mining Work Group, fred@kasaan.org, (907) 617-9941
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alaska’s Republican Congressional Delegation Urges U.S. State Department Protections for Southeast Alaska Rivers 

Delegation pressures Secretary Kerry to review British Columbia mining threats to rivers that flow into Alaska
 
JUNEAU, AK – Today, Alaska’s congressional delegation wrote to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urging greater federal engagement in the review of British Columbia (B.C.) mines near the headwaters of world-class rivers shared by the U.S. and Canada, mines that threaten salmon and a way of life for Alaskans.
 
More than ten large-scale open-pit hard rock mines in various stages of development in British Columbia threaten the transboundary Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers, which originate in B.C. and flow into Southeast Alaska. These rivers collectively support southeast Alaska’s traditional way of life and multi-billion-dollar fishing and tourism industries.
 
In the letter to Secretary Kerry, Alaska Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, and Representative Young request that Secretary Kerry “utilize all measures at your disposal to address this issue at the international level.” 
 
“This powerful statement underscores that Alaskans, regardless of political party, want Secretary Kerry to address B.C. mining with Canadian officials so that clean water and healthy salmon runs will support our economy for generations to come,” said Heather Hardcastle, campaign director for Salmon Beyond Borders. “The danger we’re facing here in Alaska is real and was reconfirmed by the recent B.C. Auditor General’s warning. We urge Secretary Kerry to stand up for American jobs and seek International Joint Commission (IJC) involvement in this matter so Americans have a say in the protection of our resources shared by the U.S. and Canada.”
 
The congressional delegation letter comes following bilateral meetings last month between the U.S. and Canada, and a recent scathing report about provincial mining compliance and enforcement from the B.C. Auditor General. Nearly 20,000 letters requesting IJC involvement were delivered to Secretary Kerry signed by Americans supportive of strong protections for salmon and jobs of Southeast Alaska. The diversity of support on this matter, including Alaska Tribes, commercial fishermen, anglers and hunters, business owners, municipal leaders and outdoor enthusiasts demonstrate the strong and united desire for the U.S. to establish enforceable protections with Canada to protect the jobs and economies that depend on this rugged transboundary region.  
 
"Recognition and action on this issue by the Alaska congressional delegation helps,” said Frederick Olsen, Jr., vice president of the Organized Village of Kasaan and chair of the United Tribal Transboundary Mining Work Group. “Secretary Kerry has a lot on his plate. He has ‘big fish to fry’ in our crazy world but we need him to look over at us. We want to prevent fish from frying in our waters due to B.C.’s mine waste. Our vital waters and ecosystems that nurture our unique traditional and customary way of life demand protection. We must work together with a long-term approach, starting with at least an IJC review.”
 
“It’s good to see that our elected leaders identify this as a real problem, as it is definitely an international issue,” said Rob Sanderson Jr., 1st vice president of Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. 
 
Today’s letter from the Alaska delegation comes on the heels of a letter from Washington Senators Cantwell and Murray to Secretary Kerry. Residents of Washington have been major supporters in establishing international protections for Alaskan waterways as, “the Alaska seafood industry supported 23,900 jobs and generated $1.34 billion in labor income in the Puget Sound region in 2013” according to the letter sent to the U.S. Department of State by Senators Cantwell and Murray. 

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Salmon Beyond Borders is a campaign driven by sport and commercial fishermen, community leaders, tourism and recreation business owners and concerned citizens, in collaboration with Tribes and First Nations, united across the Alaska/British Columbia border to defend our transboundary rivers, jobs and way of life. Visit us online at salmonbeyondborders.org and find us on Facebook and Twitter.
 
The United Tribal Transboundary Mining Work Group is a coalition of 15 federally recognized Southeastern Alaska Tribes formed in 2014 to address concerns about mining development in British Columbia, Canada. 

CONTACT:
Heather Hardcastle, Campaign Director, Salmon Beyond Borders, heather@salmonstate.org, (907) 209-8486
Jill Weitz, Campaign Manager, Salmon Beyond Borders, jweitz@tu.org, (907) 957-9504

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

British Columbia Auditor General Issues Scathing Condemnation of Province’s Inability to Protect the Public from Mining Impacts

Audit Validates Concerns About B.C. Mines, Alaskans Demand Enforceable Protections and Financial Guarantees

(JUNEAU) The Auditor General of British Columbia issued on May 3, 2016 a strongly worded audit concluding that the British Columbia (B.C.) government’s “compliance and enforcement activities of the mining sector are inadequate to protect the province from significant environmental risks.” This audit validates Alaskans’ concerns about B.C.’s mining regulatory processes and lack of financial assurances that could have direct impacts on Alaska’s downstream billion-dollar industries and way of life.

Alaskans continue to demand immediate action under the Boundary Waters Treaty and the review of large-scale B.C. developments in the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk watersheds straddling the U.S./Canada border. A review by the International Joint Commission (IJC) should proceed prior to the State of Alaska finalizing any agreement on transboundary waters with the Province of B.C.

This audit confirms Alaskans’ view that B.C. is systemically unable and unwilling to address the risks mining poses to downstream renewable resources. The ongoing pollution at the Tulsequah Chief mine in the Taku watershed, the opening of Imperial Metals’ Red Chris mine in the Stikine watershed months after their Mount Polley mine disaster, and the approval of North America’s largest open-pit mine, Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell (KSM) in the Unuk watershed, 19 miles upstream from the border, are more than enough justification for Alaskans to demand immediate federal action.

The press release from the Auditor General and the full report can be found at:
http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2016/audit-compliance-and-enforcement-mining-sector

SALMON BEYOND BORDERS is a campaign driven by sport and commercial fishermen, community
leaders, tourism and recreation business owners and concerned citizens, in collaboration with Tribes and First Nations, united across the Alaska/British Columbia border to sustain our transboundary rivers, jobs and way of life.

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