Juneau Alaska Newspaper

Public forum needed on plan to barge mining materials down the Taku River

The Tulsequah Chief mine is in the news again. For Juneau the significance of any development on this site rests not with the mine, as there is little local economic benefit from its operation. Juneau’s interests lie in another likely plan to transport mine material on the Taku River and the risks of resulting impacts on the river’s important salmon resources.

The Canadian mining company Chieftan Metals announced its intent to begin active development of the Tulsequah Chief in 2012. This plan to resurrect the mine comes following the financial failure of Redfern Resources. With that failure died Redfern’s controversial proposal to use the Taku River as a year-round transportation corridor by employing an untried towed hoverbarge. Chieftan has yet to clarify its transportation plans. But proposing to be operational in 2012 leaves little apparent option other than the river. The recent Canadian land-use plan also expresses clear preference for river barging. Industrial barging poses a serious threat to the salmon habitat in the lower river. So, before such a threat materializes fully, now is the time to create reasonable protections for the river and its salmon.

The Taku River is not large. Arguably it is simply too small for industrial-scale barging. Redfern’s towed barges ran aground on numerous occasions. That occurred during the brief high water season. During low-flow periods, and the several months when it is ice covered, barging is not feasible without significant effects on the river course.

As most know, the Taku River is the largest salmon producer in southeast Alaska. Fewer understand that the river below the international boundary contains large concentrations of rearing juvenile salmon throughout the year. Maintaining the integrity of the rearing and migration habitat is necessary for sustaining the Taku’s salmon productivity. Maintaining that productivity is a matter of importance for the entire Juneau community. Taku stocks comprise half of the annual sport fishing catch of chinook and coho salmon and of Territorial Sportsmen’s Golden North Salmon Derby catch. The McDowell Group reports that Taku salmon sustain more than 400 Juneau jobs in sport and commercial fishing-related businesses, a significant portion of our non-government economy. Additionally, the large non-local fleet here to harvest DIPAC-origin chum salmon boosts the local economy. But access (fishing time) to those DIPAC chum is controlled by the abundance and continued productivity of wild Taku sockeye salmon.

Highway Accidents Increased: Practice Road Safety - The Alaska ...

Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Commissioner Marc Luiken and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters share their expert reminders for all Alaskan drivers who are constantly on the road. This is in response to the devastating reports about 6 traffic deaths on Kenai Peninsula within the past 7 days.

Since the start of the year, there have already been 40 road fatalities recorded – a number almost a dozen more than what was reported last year. According to the preliminary reports, there are three main culprits of these road accidents – the highest at 26% is the unsafe driving speed, followed by intoxicated drivers at 30% and inattention of the driver at 11%.

In a joint written statement, Commissioners Luiken and Masters remind the public to exercise more vigilance on the road. To avoid future incidents of fatalities and avoidable traffic accidents, he asks the public to “Remember to travel at a safe speed”, “Don’t drive fatigued”, “Don’t drive distracted” and to consider the effects of alcohol, drugs and medications before driving.

“… the faster you drive, the greater is the risk of having a fatal crash. If your speed is great enough, you will be at the impact point before you are aware of an obstacle,” the two commissioners say. “Impairment by alcohol, drugs or any medication can reduce your effectiveness as a proficient driver…  Fatigued driving is a common cause of fatal highway crashes. Drivers have actually fallen asleep at the wheel, and have caused serious damage to themselves and to others. If you are tired, find a safe place to stop and to rest… it is illegal to text while driving in Alaska, but there are many other forms of distraction, from talking on a cell phone to eating food. Even a heated conversation will seriously diminish your concentration and is an extremely dangerous driving hazard.”

“When you are driving your attention should be focused on the road around you, and the immediate task of operating your vehicle. You should also pay careful attention to the driving intentions of the other drivers around you. In other words, drive defensively.

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Report of the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ...

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Report of the Governor of Alaska to the Secretary of the Interior

Alaska history, an annotated bibliography