Encouraging Environmental Awareness In the Upper Lynn Canal

Issues

• Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation
• Sustainable Economies
• Mining
• Forestry
• Roads
• Tourism

Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation

Wild Salmon Habitat Protection

Endangered wild salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest are due in part to excessive logging, road building, and industrial pollution.  In Alaska we can learn from mistakes made elsewhere and protect salmon spawning and rearing habitat.

Locally, LCC advocates for protecting critical king salmon spawning habitat in the Kelsall Valley from further logging.  LCC opposes the aerial spraying of pesticides and herbicides in Alaska for many reasons including protecting salmon and salmon habitat and humans and other species that rely on this important food resource.

LCC is concerned that high-powered, commercial jet boat tours in the highly productive Chilkat River inside the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, are eroding streambanks and increasing turbidity and sedimentation.  Large boat wakes can cause egg and alevin mortality, and damage juvenile salmon rearing areas.

Pictures of bank erosion on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

Sustainable Economies

LCC worked with fishing, civic, and other conservation organizations to encourage Alaska cruises to serve wild Alaska salmon rather than farmed fish.  Not only would this create an instant market (over a half million people take Alaska cruises each summer), but also create new markets as cruise passengers seek out wild Alaska salmon products upon returning home.

Locally LCC works to protect productive fish spawning and rearing habitat near Haines.  We advocate for adequate stream buffers in areas designated for logging in the Haines State Forest.  We oppose excessive cutting near vital salmon habitat in the Kelsall River Valley and the Klehini watershed. LCC worked with United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters, Alaska Trollers Association, and United Fishermen of Alaska, and garnered their support to protect productive salmon spawning and rearing habitat inside the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve from large, high-powered jet boats whose wakes have been shown to erode streambanks, increase turbidity and sedimentation, and likely cause egg and fry mortality.

LCC continues to advocate for strong environmental protections, should the Kensington Gold Mine open.  We successfully worked to prevent on-site use of cyanide and the dumping of marine tailings at Kensington, either of which could have caused significant harm to the Lynn Canal fishery. We do not support the current plan of dumping mine waste into pristine Lower Slate Lake because it would violate the Clean Water Act. We cannot support developing the Tulsequah Chief Mine in British Columbia because it would adversely impact the Taku River watershed, an important fishery for Southeast Alaskans.

LCC works on water quality issues and supports regulating cruise ship wastewater and other toxic discharges in Alaskan waters.  LCC opposes salmon farming, aerial spraying of pesticides and use of mixing zones. We also opposed transferring the Habitat Division of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Natural Resources, a resource development agency.  We are sometimes accused of opposing development for the sake of opposing development.  Rather, we oppose unwise resource development that can damage an existing sustainable industry, like fishing.  History shows that timber and mining industries often cause irreparable harm to fisheries.  We don't want to repeat the mistakes of Western states here in Alaska.

LCC has a long-term commitment to the health of Alaska's fish and wildlife populations and to regulations that promote clean water and stream protection for Southeast Alaskan watersheds important to salmon fisheries.  LCC recognizes the commercial fishing industry has been the economic backbone of Southeast Alaska for many decades. Protecting fish habitat is an essential part of a healthy economic future for our region. LCC also recognizes the cultural significance of wild salmon to the Chilkat and Chilkoot Tlingits.

Mining Even though Alaska is one of the least populated states in the union, Alaska is currently ranked fourth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in producing toxic emissions.  According to the EPA, mining and power plants are responsible for more than half of toxic emissions released in the United States.
The Kensington Mine In 1997 Coeur Alaska received all necessary government permits to operate the Kensington mine, 35 miles south of Haines. Due to successful environmental advocacy, that plan did not use cyanide to separate gold, and would have deposited mine tailings in a huge, well drained upland pile rather than into any water body. Because of depressed world gold prices, Coeur redesigned the operation and received permits to discharge chemically treated tailings into Lower Slate Lake.  We believe this violates the Clean Water Act. Earthjustice is currently litigating this before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of LCC, the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, and the Sierra Club.
Forestry
LCC continues to work toward reforming logging practices away from clearcutting and toward selective cutting and value added processing of our local timber.
Roads
The proposed road from Juneau to the Katzehin The Alaska Marine Highway route from Juneau to Skagway is a spectacularly scenic and relaxing ferry trip through the Lynn Canal, a fjord that is as beautiful and pristine as any in the world.  Fjord walls rise from sea level to as high as 7,000 feet.  To even consider building a road north of Juneau by blasting apart steep mountainous terrain to create a horizontal roadbed is nothing short of madness.  The proposed road would cross 36 avalanche paths, making it the most dangerous road in North America.  In addition to being life threatening, the road is predicted be closed for 34.5 days each winter for snowplowing, helicopter bombing of avalanches, and maintenance.  This road would cause major environmental damage to Berners Bay and the eastern shore of Lynn Canal, and would threaten a Stellar sea lion haulout at Gran Point. The road would dead-end at the Katzehin where a new ferry terminal would be constructed and passengers would be ferried to Haines and Skagway. This boondoggle is essentially a 50 mile dead-end extension to a new ferry terminal. A geotechnical report by Golder Associates Inc, identified 112 geological hazards along a 22 mile stretch of proposed road. The hazards include falling rocks, debris slides, landslides and areas of slope instability. Some of the rockfall hazards are "mega-boulders", which range in size from 10 to 50 feet in diameter. 37 of the 112 identified hazards could be of sufficient volume to close the highway for weeks at a time. To view the report go to http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/projectinfo/ser/juneau_access/documents.shtml. LCC and a majority of residents prefer the sensible alternative of better ferry service .
Tourism Planning
Helicopters and Wildlife Every summer thousands of tourists are helicoptered into remote areas in Alaska, critical habitat for mountain goats, bear, and other wildlife.  Studies show that helicopter overflights are more stressful to wildlife than fixed wing overflights at similar altitudes.  Some of the documented wildlife impacts of overflights include: excessive arousal or stress interference with raising young evacuation of prime habitat increased vulnerability to predation reduced foraging efficiency These physiological and behavioral responses can reduce an animal's overall fitness and ability to survive. During winter and spring helicopters transport growing numbers of skiers and snowboarders into mountain goat and denning bear and wolverine habitat.  Female goats are in the third trimester and any additional stress can cause reabsorbtion of the fetus.  When disturbed, wolverines have been observed to abandon dens.  LCC continues to advocate for control areas where helicopters are not allowed to land, larger wildlife buffers, GPS monitoring for compliance, and a definitive wildlife study to determine science based guidelines for managing the growing heli-tourism industry. (See  related Tee Shirt offer).
Chilkoot River Corridor Sport anglers, commercial tours,  and residents and independent travelers hoping to see bears frequent this area. Lack of oversight of the increasing use of the Chilkoot River Corridor has created a potentially dangerous situation for humans and bears.     A collaborative effort between LCC, the Haines Chamber of Commerce and the Chilkoot Indian Association resulted in a planning grant from the Alaska Conservation Foundation to develop a strategic plan for the sustainable management of the this rich environmental and cultural resource.

For more information, please send mail to lcc11@aptalaska.net.