ACWA successfully nominated the Chilkat/Klehini river system to the Most Endangered River in America list for 2023. These unique, productive rivers, and the entire Chilkat Valley are under threat from proposed mining operations.
This story has been published by several news outlets:
View the official American Rivers / ACWA Press Release here.
Visit the American Rivers’ website and learn more.
About the Most Endangered Rivers program
The national river-protection organization American Rivers accepts nominations every year for their ten Most Endangered Rivers (MER) in America list. ACWA’s nomination of the Chilkat/Klehini system was accepted for 2023. ACWA successfully nominated the Chilkat River in the MER program in 2019.
ACWA is honored to have the support of the following partners for this effort:
Chilkat Indian Village of Klukwan
Lynn Canal Conservation
Rivers Without Borders
Takshanuk Watershed Council
Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission
Alaska Audubon
The MER listing puts the direct threat faced in the Chilkat watershed from the development of the Palmer Project copper/zinc mine squarely onto the national and international stage, as well as the secondary threats of having the local highway and deep-water port become an ore transfer facility for the Palmer Project and possibly other mines located in the Yukon.
We need your help to protect the Chilkat and Klehini Rivers, and the salmon, eagles, bears, and people that depend on them. Please sign on to this letter (link) (or send your own) to Congresswoman Peltola and Senator Murkowski, urging them to communicate to EPA how critical it is that the Palmer Project be required to apply for a standard, surface water discharge permit that will require the meeting of all State and federal Water Quality Standards, as well as establish the necessary level of monitoring and enforcement to ensure that this national treasure is protected for all time.
Thank you for your support!