Will a Century-Old Treaty Protect Alaska's Salmon Rivers from B.C.'s Mining Boom?

Image: Salmon Beyond Borders

Southeast Alaskans, anxious about B.C.'s mining boom along the Alaskan border, are pinning their hopes for stronger mine management on a treaty that dates back more than a century.

The International Joint Commission (IJC), operating under the Boundary Waters Treaty since 1909, is a body with six appointed members —three from Canada and three from the U.S. — used to resolve water or air conflicts between the two countries.

However, although the commission appears to be tailor-made to deal with the concern over B.C. mines in the headwaters of Southeast Alaska’s most important salmon rivers, politicians on both side of the border appear reluctant to hand over responsibility to a commission whose recommendations remain entirely independent of either party.

LINK (via:DESMOGCANADA)

Copper mine clash: Project proposed raises hopes for new jobs and concerns

Bristol Bay?

Nope,  the headwaters of the Sheep Creek drainage, a tributary of the Smith River, one of Montana’s most beloved rivers, and the prospect of a copper mine is raising environmental concerns over acid mine drainage and stream flows along with the hopes for high-paying jobs.

LINK (via: Great Falls Tribune)

How mining companies are polluting our nation’s waters in perpetuity

A lengthy review of government documents reveals that an estimated 17 to 27 billion gallons of polluted water will be generated by forty mines each year, every year, in perpetuity. This is equivalent to the amount of water in 2 trillion water bottles – enough to stretch from the earth to the moon and back 54 times.

LINK (via: Earthworks)

Canada mining expansion prompts fears of pollution flowing into Montana

Photo:waferboard

This story of heavy metals in the Elk River drainage of B.C. drawing  the attention of the EPA here in the states appeared in the Missoulian back in December of 2012.

Expansion plans at some Canadian coal mines have alarmed American officials over the amount of heavy metals pollution that could be flowing across the international border into Montana.

“We’re seeing increased selenium runoff from existing mining activity, that’s why we’re concerned,” said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional director Jim Martin. “We’ve had a number of formal and informal conversations with the (British Columbia) provincial government.”

The mines lie in the Elk River drainage, roughly 100 miles north of Whitefish. That river flows into Lake Koocanusa on the Montana side of the border. In addition to selenium and other heavy metals, the mines contribute high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that interfere with the river system’s aquatic life.

LINK (via: The Missoulian)

A new study released back in early March confirms the damage being done.

A study by University of Montana researchers shows that pollutants leeching into the heavily mined Elk River drainage in southeastern British Columbia have reached alarming levels, particularly as a metal-like element called selenium threatens critical fish habitat in Canada, as well as downstream in Montana.

LINK (via:Oregon Live)

Headwaters Montana is one of the groups on the front lines of this issue.

Big Chunk Super Project Near Pebble Deposit

The Pebble Mine is the most talked about and controversial proposed mining project in Southwest Alaska but it’s not the only project on the drawing board.

The Big Chunk Super Project consists of 612 State of Alaska 160-acre mining claims, covering approximately 177 square miles (about 113,000 acres) of southwestern Alaska.

LINK (Via: Alaska Public )

Mining issues closer to home...

CAVE JUNCTION -- Three years ago, Dave Rutan opened a gold mining retreat inside the Kalmiopsis Wilderness of southern Oregon, bringing in helicopters, gas-powered dredges and paying customers.

He did so without the permission county authorities say he needed.

Now he wants to commercially dredge miles of the Chetco, one of Oregon's purest rivers. He plans to helicopter in four-man crews to seek gold from the equivalent of nearly 50 truckloads of river gravel each season. Read more via Oregon Live...