“Mining and salmon have never gotten along!” Southeast Alaskan tribal groups are decrying a proposed mine in northwestern British Columbia, arguing it will have disastrous environmental repercussions for the Taku River watershed. Vancouver-based Canagold Resources Ltd., is proposing to develop the New Polaris gold mine, an underground gold mine located 100 kilometres south of Atlin, B.C. and 60 kilometres northeast of Juneau, Alaska. The remote, fly-in mine would produce around 1,000 tonnes of ore per day.
Jill Weitz, government affairs liaison for the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, said:
“The people of the Taku have subsisted, survived and stewarded the Taku River watershed for thousands of years “It’s such a magical place that to even think about activity like that, for those of us downstream, it’s kind of mind boggling.”
