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Cook Inletkeeper Energy
Program
Inletkeeper Joins Citizens & Groups
Asking State to Find the Chuitna Watershed "Unsuitable" for Coal
Strip Mining
The massive, proposed Chuitna coal strip mine 45 miles west of
Anchorage along the shores of Cook Inlet will devastate
important fishing and hunting habitat, harm subsistence uses,
and undermine Alaskan ways of life. On Thursday, June 14,
Inletkeeper joined local citizens and groups in an "Unsuitable
Lands Petition" filed under state law, which calls on the Alaska
Department of Natural Resources to find the proposed mining
region "unsuitable" for large scale coal strip mining.
See
the Press
Release
See
the
Petition to the State of Alaska
See
links below for additional information on the Chuitna strip
mine.
For Immediate Release: For More Information:
June 14,
2007 Terry Jorgensen,
907.583.2662
Judy Heilman, 907.583.2277
Chuitna Citizens NO-COALition
Becca Bernard,
907.276.4244 x113
Trustees
for Alaska
Citizens Petition State to Declare Chuitna watershed
“Unsuitable” for Coal Strip Mining
First-ever use of state law to protect Alaskans from massive
strip mine impacts
ANCHORAGE, AK
– Local citizens and conservation groups today filed a legal
petition requesting the Alaska Department of Natural Resources
to designate all lands within the Chuitna River watershed, on
the western shore of Cook Inlet, as unsuitable for surface coal
mining. A Delaware corporation, PacRim Coal, plans to develop
the Chuitna coal strip mine, which threatens to destroy over 30
square miles of intact fish and game habitat, including
tributaries of the salmon-rich Chuitna River. Additional
adjacent leases in the area could bring the total disturbed area
to over 55 square miles. Because the complex wetlands and
salmon stream hydrology in the region make mining and
post-mining reclamation virtually impossible, local citizens and
groups have asked DNR to recognize the region as unsuitable for
intensive strip mining activity.
“This isn’t the Usibelli coal mine or some other upland coal
mine where conditions are relatively dry,” said Judy Heilman,
spokesperson for the Chuitna Citizens No-Coal Coalition. “The
wetlands and streams of the Chuitna area represent a unique and
complex system that supports our salmon and our Alaskan way of
life. DNR cannot pretend these habitats can simply be replaced
once the mining corporation takes what it wants.”
Under the Alaska Surface Coal Mining Control and Reclamation Act
(ASCMCRA), DNR must designate an area unsuitable for coal mining
if reclamation is not technologically feasible in the area. DNR
may designate an area as unsuitable for mining if the strip
mining will damage aquifers, natural systems, and aesthetic
values, among other things.
“Once you strip the wetlands and overburden to remove the coal
from as deep as 300 feet, the aquifers and natural water flows
will be massively altered along with the salmon habitat they
support,” said attorney Becca Bernard with Trustees for Alaska.
“DNR must recognize there is no feasible technology to return
the land to pre-mining conditions - especially here in Alaska’s
unique cold and wet weather ecosystem - as required by state and
federal law.”
As
energy prices remain relatively high, coal development is
receiving increased attention in Alaska, which possesses roughly
half the nation’s coal reserves. According to PacRim Coal
officials, Chuitna coal would largely supply Asian markets.
Earlier this year, Governor Palin announced – for the first time
ever – elevated mercury levels in Alaska fish, and coal-fired
power plants in Asian and Russia are likely mercury sources.
“Why would we
destroy salmon streams in Alaska with a massive coal mine, then
set ourselves up for more mercury in our fish when old Asian
power plants burn this coal?” said set net fisherman Terry
Jorgenson. “I sell my fish because they are fresh, clean and
wild Alaska salmon, and a massive coal mine will destroy our
marketing advantage over farmed fish.”
The
Chuitna River watershed supports all five species of pacific
salmon, and provides essential habitat for bear, moose, and
other fish and game. It has already been identified as one of
the nation’s ten “Most Endangered Rivers” for 2007 due to the
imminent threat of coal strip mining in the area The region
provides important subsistence, commercial and recreational
fishing and hunting opportunities that support Alaskan families
and their way of life.
“If we don’t
recognize this unique and fragile area as unsuitable for coal
strip mining, no place in Alaska will be safe,” said Heilman.
Local citizens and groups have tried in vain to gain access to
closed-door meetings between state and federal regulatory
agencies and PacRim Coal and its consultants. A response to a
recent Freedom of Information Act request shows regular
meetings, teleconferences and document exchanges between the
agencies and the developers. Local citizens have contacted
Governor Palin repeatedly for an open-door permitting process.
The Chuitna Citizens NO-COALition is an alliance of local
residents and property owners concerned about the impacts from
the proposed Chuitna coal strip mine. Trustees for Alaska is a
nonprofit public interest law firm providing legal counsel to
protect and sustain Alaska's natural environment.
A copy of the Unsuitable Lands Petition is available at:
www.trustees.org or
www.inletkeeper.org
Massive
Coal Mine Lands Chuitna River on
Most
Endangered Rivers List 2007
* Click Thumbnails for Full Sized Versions
*
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17,
2007
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Bob Shavelson, CIK 907.299.3277
Randy Virgin, ACE 907.274.3656
Judy Heilman, CCC 907.583.2277
Proposed Coal Mine Lands Chuitna River on
America’s Most Endangered
Rivers List for 2007
ANCHORAGE, AK –
Local citizens and groups today announced that the Chuitna
River, located 45 miles west of Anchorage on the west side of
Cook Inlet, has been selected as one of ten rivers nationally to
be included on American River’s list for the “Most Endangered
Rivers 2007.” The Chuitna coal strip mine, proposed by Outside
investors with PacRim Coal, LLC, prompted the Chuitna River’s
inclusion on the list.
“The permitting process is well underway for this massive coal
strip mine.” said Terry Jorgenson, a commercial fisherman and
member of the Chuitna Citizens Coalition. “In light of the
substantial salmon resources threatened by the Chuitna coal
strip mine, and recognizing the salmon protection rollbacks
Alaska pushed through by the Murkowski Administration, it makes
sense the Chuitna River is one of the nation’s ten “Most
Endangered Rivers” for 2007.”
The
Chuitna Coal Project, if fully developed, would destroy over 30
square miles of rich fish and game habitat within the Chuitna
River watershed, and would dump millions of gallons of mine
waste to Chuitna River and Cook Inlet fisheries each day.
Because Alaska possesses roughly half the nation’s coal
reserves, Asian markets and local industries are increasingly
looking to develop and use coal as oil and gas prices remain
relatively high.
“The Chuitna coal strip mine represents a dangerous precedent
that will lock Alaska into a coal-based energy future that will
destroy fish and game habitat, add mercury to Alaska’s
fisheries, and increase the production of greenhouse gases,”
said Bob Shavelson, Executive Director of Cook Inletkeeper.
“Reliance on large scale coal resources will also preclude
investments in cleaner fuel sources such as natural gas, tidal,
wind and geothermal energies.”
In
addition to the strip mine site and associated facilities, the
Chuitna coal strip mine will include a twelve mile long
partially-enclosed conveyor to transport coal to tidewater, a
500,000 ton coal storage area along the shores of Cook Inlet,
and a large gravel island and 10,000 foot long dock and pier to
service coal ships.
“Recent coal dust problems in Seward highlight the threats from
blowing Chuitna coal to citizens as far away as Anchorage, and
the mine’s transportation facility will displace or interfere
with long-established commercial, sport and recreational fishing
opportunities,” said Randy Virgin, Executive Director of the
Alaska Center for the Environment.
American Rivers is a national nonprofit that annually publishes
a list of the nation’s “Most Endangered Rivers.” For a copy of
the Most Endangered Rivers Report for 2007, see:
http://www.americanrivers.org
Cook Inletkeeper is a citizen-based nonprofit organization
dedicated to protecting the Cook Inlet watershed and the life it
sustains. The Alaska Center for the Environment is Alaska's
largest home-grown citizen's group working for the sensible
stewardship of Alaska's natural environment. The Chuitna
Citizens Coalition is an alliance of local residents and
property owners concerned about the impacts from the proposed
Chuitna coal strip mine.
For
a complete media package, including documents, pictures and a
video, go to:
wwww.inletkeeper.org
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