Vol.33 No.6 | 2014 Co-published by Rivers Without Borders and the Wilderness Committee

FREE REPORT WILD , WILD BORDER

... FOR HOW LONG?

THE TRANSBOUNDARY WATERSHEDS UNDER THREAT

Tadzio Richards and growing industrial threats, the Tlingit First Nation WIL Transboundary transboundary watersheds collectively (TRTFN), challenging the D Conservation B embrace some of the most intact, Environmental Assessment ORDER Campaigner, Rivers Without Borders ecologically rich and diverse wild Certificate granted by the salmon habitat left on the planet. BC government for the Despite these rich conservation proposed mine.2 In July 2014, values, the transboundary watersheds the Court ruled that BC he transboundary watersheds are threatened on the BC side of must reconsider the status of northwest the border by multiple large mine of the Certificate – without andT southeast are vast, wild proposals that pose a risk to fish and which the mine cannot and alive. From glacial headwaters wildlife habitat and water quality. proceed – and consult with to coastal rainforest, the rugged and The biggest single threat to rivers the TRTFN in its new determination, Photo top: Iskut River Valley (Carr Clifton), above: Mother bear with cubs (Paul Burwell). spectacular Alsek-Tatshenshini, and salmon in the transboundary which it had previously failed to do.3 Chilkat, Taku, Whiting, Iskut- region is the Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell BC Hydro’s Northwest Transmission until more comprehensive studies Stikine, Unuk and Nass watersheds (KSM) mine, a gigantic proposed Line (NTL) also increases development and more significant consultation are largely intact and globally open-pit mine north of Stewart, BC, pressures in the region. Completed in with First Nations are conducted. significant landscapes. just upstream from Alaska's Misty Fjords summer 2014, the new electrical line cuts Potential cumulative impacts must Spanning some 130,000 square National Monument. The proposed north through the Nass and into the Iskut- be considered, and there must be a kilometres (32 million acres), the mine site sprawls across the headwaters Stikine watershed, enabling multiple river meaningful international conversation transboundary region conserves intact of the Unuk and Nass River watersheds, diversion dams and large-scale mining about the future of these watersheds freshwater habitats that sustain highly and would generate more than two projects such as KSM, Red Chris, Galore before additional development goes productive runs of all five species of billion tonnes of acidic tailings waste that Creek, Schaft Creek, Arctos Anthracite forward. wild Pacific salmon. Wildlife like Stone’s would need to be treated for hundreds and numerous other exploration projects. The region’s salmon rivers deserve sheep, caribou, moose, mountain of years, and likely in perpetuity.1 The NTL, paid for primarily by taxpayers the highest form of protection, goats, wolverines and grizzly bears In the Taku watershed, the extremely and BC Hydro ratepayers, subsidizes these regardless of which side of the border thrive in the mountains and valleys. controversial Tulsequah Chief mine proposed mine projects. they are on. Read on to find out From Skagway, Alaska to Stewart, BC would be located just upstream The pace and scale of this proposed more about this incredible wild area, – a distance of about 500 kilometres from the best salmon habitat industrial development is too much, current threats and the opportunity (310 miles) – not a single road of any in the transboundary region’s too fast. The transboundary watersheds we have to engage in meaningful kind crosses this wild section of border number one salmon river. In late deserve world-class stewardship. The cross-border action to safeguard between BC and Alaska. 2013 Ecojustice filed a lawsuit in the BC and Canadian governments need to the future of these extraordinary In a time of climate change Supreme Court of BC on behalf of the shelve plans for rapid industrialization international rivers. KSM MINE WILD SALMON AT RISK IN NASS AND UNUK RIVERS mong glaciers in the high mountains would be centuries if not in perpetuity.5 Aof the Boundary Range, about Twin 23-kilometre (14-mile) tunnels 65 kilometres (40 miles) northwest of would be drilled under glaciers to link the Stewart, BC, Seabridge Gold is proposing open pits to an ore concentrator plant and one of the largest copper-gold-silver- an eight-kilometre (five-mile) long tailings molybdenum mines in the world. impoundment – a toxic waste dump – If built, the Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell located between Treaty Creek and Teigen (KSM) mine project would see three Creek. Both creeks contain fish habitat and giant open pits carved into the drain into the Bell-Irving and Nass Rivers. mountains at the headwaters of Two tailings dams, both around the height Sulphurets Creek, a tributary of the of the Hoover Dam, would be built to Unuk River, just upstream from Misty contain the mine’s toxic by-products.6 Fjords National Monument in Alaska. The Unuk and Nass River watersheds One of those pits would be the deepest support some of the most intact and in the world.4 productive salmon habitat in all of In this wet and rugged region, KSM BC and Alaska. KSM would create an would produce an average of 130,000 estimated 2.3 billion tonnes of mine tonnes of ore per day for up to 52 years. waste – an environmental time bomb Water at the mine site would require that would threaten salmon and Mayo Elsa treatment for as long as needed, which salmon habitat for centuries. Photo top: Bald eagle (Michael Truex), above left: Unuk River waterfall (Wayne Weihing), above right: Site of proposed KSM mining project (Mike Fay).

Pelly Crossing The Nass River is the third largest salmon producer in BC and supports all five species of Pacific salmon, steelhead and other TRANSBOUNDARY REGION valuable sport fish. These stocks support constitutionally protected Carmacks and treaty fisheries for BC First Nations, as well as important commercial fisheries. Communities downstream from the tailings Wrangell AK - St. Elias Kluane area face enormous risks and economic uncertainties from the National Park YT National Faro proposed KSM project. Park & Haines Junction Inset NWT Reserve Map The Unuk River supports an important eulachon run and one Alsek - Ross River of the largest runs of in the transboundary region. Pacific BC AB Tatshenshini Whitehorse Tatshenshini Unuk River salmon are highly valued by the Haida and Tlingit Ocean SK Chilkoot - Skagway - Taiya Nations of , and by Alaskan commercial fishermen. Tatshenshini-Alsek WA Provincial Both groups have formally expressed their opposition to KSM to the Park Carcross US State Department.7 Chilkat Yukon Palmer Skagway Teslin “These projects could not be in a worse location. Salmon is our Glacier Bay Haines traditional food. If anything happens to them, we would be in a National Park and Preserve world of hurt.” Atlin 0 50 100 km - Rob Sanderson Jr., 2nd Vice President of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes 8 Tulsequah Chief Watson Juneau Lake On both sides of the border, key concerns with the proposed KSM mine include: Taku .. the potential long-term effects on the Nass River from the Whiting massive KSM tailings dump; Sitka .. the potential long-term effects on the Unuk River from the enormous open pits and waste rock dumps at the mine site; Alaska Telegraph Dease Lake .. the current lack of certainty around effectively treating water Creek Stikine Pacific Mt. Edziza contaminated with selenium at the mine site; Petersburg Ocean Schaft Creek Provincial Iskut .. the potential for harmful effects on salmon from the Park proposed KSM mine discharges; Galore Creek Red Chris .. the need for adequate bonds to be posted by the company to Wrangell Iskut - Stikine Spatsizi Iskut Arctos Plateau ensure water treatment and monitoring will continue as long as Anthracite Iskut River Hydropower Wilderness needed after mine closure (stated as 250 years by Seabridge, Provincial Park but possibly in perpetuity); Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell Unuk .. the potential for catastrophic failure of tailings dams, failure Brucejack of water treatment and other possible problems. Hyder Stewart Ketchikan Misty Fjords Nass Sacred National Headwaters Monument Legend British Proposed Mines Masset Columbia Iskut River Hydropower Project Prince New Northwest Transmission Line Rupert Hazelton Existing Parks & Protected Areas Terrace Transboundary Watersheds Smithers Kitimat

Houston Mackenzie Photo: Taku River watershed (Rivers Without Borders). Burns Lake Fort St. James TAKU RIVER WATERSHED: NO PLACE FOR A MINE

ulsequah Chief is a proposed to the intensifying stresses presented by has drained acid mine pollution Tunderground gold and mixed climate change.9 into the Tulsequah and Taku metals mine located on the banks of The best salmon habitat in the Rivers since the 1950s.11 As the Tulsequah River, near its juncture Taku watershed is just downstream mandated by its permit, Chieftain with the Taku River in northwest BC, just from the proposed Tulsequah Metals began operating a water upstream from the border with Alaska. Chief mine. To access the site, mining treatment plant in December The proposed Tulsequah Chief mine, company Chieftain Metals proposes 2011, but shut it down a few which was granted an Environmental constructing a 128-kilometre (80-mile) months later due to high Assessment Certificate by the BC haul road to connect the Tulsequah operational costs and sludge government, could be devastating Valley to the nearest existing road near production that outstripped the for wild salmon and salmon habitat. Atlin, BC. The company estimates the company’s capacity to manage At 18,800 square kilometres mine would operate for only nine years, it.12 Canadian federal and BC (4.5 million acres), the Taku is the but the new road would inevitably regulatory agencies have failed largest totally intact watershed on bring new mineral exploration and to enforce water quality permits, the Pacific coast of North America. development pressures to this sensitive calling into question assurances It is the wild heart of the BC-Alaska location. The geologic setting of the that the Taku’s outstanding transboundary region. proposed mine is ripe for generating values will be safeguarded if new The Taku is the number one salmon acid, and acidic tailings would be stored mining goes ahead. producing river for southeast Alaska, in a tailings waste facility on an active The Tulsequah Chief project Photos above: Keith Carlick of TRTFN pulling a Chinook and one of Canada’s biggest salmon floodplain beside the Tulsequah River.10 still faces considerable financial, (king) salmon out of the Taku River (Chris Miller), Fishing boat (Rivers Without Borders). systems. Wolves, grizzly and black bears, Small-scale historic mining at the site technical and political obstacles wolverines and lynx live out their – including unresolved acid mine Supreme Court of British Columbia natural predator-prey cycles within pollution, violations of agreements on behalf of the TRTFN, challenging the watershed, along with globally and at least one permit, a lack of the Environmental Assessment significant populations of moose, construction funding and strong Certificate for the proposed mine. mountain goats, sheep and opposition in Alaska and from the Taku In July 2014, the Court ruled that BC woodland caribou. The area’s vast River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) in BC.13 must reconsider the status of the undisturbed ecosystems – with all The TRTFN has formally opposed Certificate – without which the mine their diverse native flora and fauna the Tulsequah Chief project by cannot proceed – and consult with present and thriving – make the consensus in a Joint Clan Forum. In late the TRTFN in its new determination, Taku watershed especially resilient 2013 Ecojustice filed a lawsuit in the which it had previously failed to do.14 Photo: Acid mine drainage from old Tulsequah Chief Mine (Chris Miller).

Acid mine drainage occurs when sulphur-bearing ore is exposed to air and water. The resulting acidic water then leaches toxic heavy metals such as copper, zinc, cadmium and other minerals from the ore. If not captured and treated, such discharges are extremely toxic to fish and other aquatic life. An increase in copper of as little as 2 to 8 parts per billion above natural stream levels damages the ability of salmon to smell, which makes it harder to avoid predators, find mates and return to spawning grounds.15

TAKU SALMON HABITAT AT STAKE Every year, some two million salmon pass through waters in the area where the Taku meets the Tulsequah River. If the Tulsequah Chief mine is developed, it would create a high probability of acid and heavy metal pollution that would be toxic to fish. If not contained, this pollution would flow downstream with the inevitable runoff, leaks and spills associated with mine operation. Add the remoteness of the site, plus extreme weather, avalanches and jökulhlaup events (floods resulting from “glacial outbursts”) in a seismically active region, and bigger problems are not unlikely. A tailings impoundment blowout, for example, could be catastrophic to Taku fisheries.

To learn more about the transboundary region, go to Photo: Braided salmon habitat on the Taku River (Rivers Without Borders). Wild Border Watersheds at: WildBorderWatersheds.org

”Our government passed a Joint Clan mandate rejecting Chieftain’s proposed project … because the citizens of our Nation will not approve any mining projects that are not both environmentally responsible and financially viable.” - John D. Ward, Spokesperson for the Taku River Tlingit First Nation16

“Rivers like the Taku, Stikine, Unuk and Iskut may be one of the last climate change sanctuaries for salmon.” - Dr. Jim Pojar, biologist and forest ecologist17

“We can do a whole lot better than Tulsequah Chief.” - Nathan Cullen, MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley18

Photo: Moose (Rivers Without Borders).

Photo: Spawned out salmon (Michael Truex). CHILDREN OF THE TAKU

"Ever since I send fresh fish as well to family and “When I heard about was a young the community. For some elders it’s Chieftain coming in I cried,” says child we’ve the only way they can get fish.” Hart. “I wondered how are we been talking The Taku is one of Canada’s biggest going to save the Taku?” about saving salmon systems, with the best salmon “As one person, I can’t really the Taku,” says habitat in the whole watershed do anything. But we had a Chantelle Hart, located just downstream from where meeting and sat around a a member of the Tulsequah River joins the main campfire with elders, youth, my the Children stem of the Taku before it enters parents, and the idea for Children

Chantelle Hart, Children of the Taku of the Taku Alaska. About two million salmon pass of the Taku came from that. We Society through the waters annually in the created a society dedicated to land (COTTS). “Saving the Taku is a vicinity of this juncture. This is where preservation, which is what we care commitment to future generations, to the Tulsequah Chief mine is being about most.” our culture, our heritage, our way of life. proposed. “We are “If it’s not Chieftain, it’ll be someone It’s a legacy.” In 2004, else. There’s always going to be another determined to Children of the Taku is a volunteer the Supreme company who wants to go in there and support TRTFN non-profit society of citizens of the Court of extract resources. I’m greatly relieved that leadership in Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN). Canada the strength of our entire First Nation is carrying out the wholly united to step forward and say no Members have joined together ordered to that mine, firmly and with authority.” November 18, 2012 to restore and protect the culture the BC – Chantelle Hart, Children of the Taku Joint Clan Mandate and heritage of the TRTFN in their government to oppose the traditional territory. to consult proposed Tulsequah “My grandparents lived off the land,” with the TRTFN on decisions Chief mine,” says Hart. says Hart. “A large part of what they surrounding the proposed Tulsequah “Members of my family go every did was to do a trek every year down Chief Mine. At the time, Redcorp year to the river,” says Hart. “It’s a real river. They would walk in following Ventures owned the project. The spiritual thing, it allows us to connect the traditional trail, or go by boat, or company went bankrupt in 2009 to the land. As a First Nation, if we Photos above: Elycia Carlick, member of the TRTFN sometimes fly in. A large part of the and Chieftain Metals picked up the don’t have the land to catch fish, to on the Taku River (Chris Miller), Mountain goats (Monty bread and butter for our culture was by property and environmental permits, dry fish, then we don’t have that to Bassett), Unuk River rafting (Wayne Weihing). the Taku River. Even now, many people renewing fears that the Taku’s best teach our children. We’re willing to go there every year to fish. Our people salmon habitat would be irreparably do whatever it takes to protect our references smoke and dry fish, and sometimes damaged. culture and the land.” 1. “BC Mining Background Report”. EMEF, Jan. 2012. http://bit.ly/UKBBQA

2. Taku River Tlingit - Petition to the Court. Ecojustice, Dec. 17, 2013. http://bit.ly/UKBCUG

3. "BC gov't violated duty to consult Taku River Tlingit regarding controversial Tulsequah Chief project". Marketwired, Jul. 24, 2014. http://mwne.ws/1rNFtyx

4. “KSM Mine Project” (Powerpoint). Gitanyow Hereditary TAKE ACTION Chiefs, 2014. http://bit.ly/1lVxg8O 5. “KSM Project Application – Exec. Summary”. Seabridge Gold, KEEP THE BORDER RIVERS WILD! May 2013. http://bit.ly/1lqnxGr It’s time to stand up for the spectacular wild border watersheds of BC and Alaska, and the outstanding salmon runs they sustain. 6. See citation 4. 7. Hume, Mark. “Clark’s Mining Push Meets Resistance”. Globe & The governments of Canada and British Columbia must work with the governments of the US, Alaska and First Nations to ensure Mail. Mar. 26, 2014. http://bit.ly/1pkzNLZ

that any mining and energy development in transboundary river headwaters does not diminish or imperil the ecologically rich 8. Dobbyn, Paula. “Alaska Natives & First Nations Unite to Fight Mining Threat to Salmon Habitat”. Indian Country Today, May 5, and bountiful character of the transboundary watersheds. 2014. http://bit.ly/1qx1gXW Please write to BC's Premier and Canada’s Prime Minister, and insist that before any further development is considered, both 9. Beeson, Kenneth. “A Taku Salmon Stronghold: Initial Assessment of an Exceptional International Watershed”. BCIT & governments must: Rivers Without Borders, 2010. Kenneth Beeson. .. Fulfill constitutional obligations to consult and accommodate http://bit.ly/1mfUdOi 10. “Technical Report for the Tulsequah Chief Project of First Nations; Northern BC”. Chieftain Metals, Dec. 12, 2012. .. Initiate a comprehensive review of potential cumulative impacts http://bit.ly/UKC9Gp 11. Scannell, Phyllis. “Taku-Tulsequah River Mining Activity: on the transboundary region; Background Environmental Monitoring & Potential Mining Effects”. Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Jan. 2012. .. Initiate a formal international dialogue about the future of these http://1.usa.gov/1jPcOkh watersheds, leading to ecosystem-based planning and decision 12. Gillmore, Meagan. “Cleanup ceases at Tulsequah Chief”. making for the region. Yukon News, Jun. 29, 2012. http://bit.ly/UKCclt 13. Kuyek, Joan. “Review of the Technical Report Dated January Let’s protect the transboundary region’s wild salmon rivers while we still 22, 2013 for the Chieftain Metals Inc. Tulsequah Chief Mine can. Please write your letter today! Photo: Todagin and Kluea Lakes, Skeena mountains, site of the Red Proposal”. Mar. 29, 2013. http://bit.ly/1pChfCI Chris Mine currently under construction (Carr Clifton). 14. "TRTFN v. BC Minister of Environment". Supreme Court of BC, Jul. 11, 2014. http://bit.ly/1rXqqSU Premier of BC Prime Minister of Canada 15. Zamzow, Dr. Kendra. "Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching". Pebble Science. http://bit.ly/1qnMMum PO Box 9041, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC, V8W 9E1 80 Wellington St., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A2 16. "TRTFN, Ecojustice announce litigation over validity of 250-387-1715 250-387-0087 613-941-6900 Tulsequah Chief Mine EAO Certificate". TRTFN, Jan. 22, 2014. [email protected] [email protected] http://bit.ly/1opCBnr 17. Pollon, Christopher. “Mining rush in Canada’s backcountry threatens Alaska salmon”. High Country News, Dec. 24, 2012. http://bit.ly/1lqpa6T This report is co-published by Rivers Without Borders and the Wilderness Committee 18. Gillmore, Meagan. “Taku River Tlingit ready to stop Chieftain”. Yukon News, Dec. 5, 2012. http://bit.ly/1wyQEuv

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