Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Palmer Mine topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents, tribal and conservation groups urge Haines Borough to oppose proposed Palmer hard‑rock mine
Summary
Speakers representing Chilkat Forever and multiple residents told the Haines Borough Assembly they oppose the Palmer mine and asked the borough to protect the Chilkat River watershed, citing risks from acid mine drainage, regulatory gaps and short mine life.
Representatives of a local coalition and more than 300 signatories urged the Haines Borough Assembly on Feb. 24 to oppose large‑scale hard‑rock mining in the Chilkat River watershed, saying potential environmental harms outweigh short‑term economic gains.
"I do not support the development of an industrial scale mine in the Upper Chilkat Valley," said Deborah Hovelt during the public comment period, urging the assembly to prioritize salmon, clean water and community quality of life. Rose Fudge, who presented a packet on behalf of Chilkat Forever, said the mailed materials included nearly 300 Chilkat Valley residents' signatures and multiple letters detailing concerns about how Klukwan and Haines would be affected.
Molly Dwyer, who described herself as a young Haines homeowner and signatory to the coalition's letter, told the assembly that Alaska's history with large hard‑rock mines includes documented discharges and regulatory settlements. "Even the best case scenario I could find wasn't comforting," she said, citing EPA settlements and Pogo, Fort Knox, Red Dog, Greens Creek and Kensington as examples examined for precedent. Dwyer warned that the Palmer project's sulfide‑bearing ores elevate the risk of acid mine drainage, which can lower water pH and release toxic metals injurious to salmon and human food security.
Speakers stressed the short projected mine life relative to the long‑term value of fisheries and subsistence. Dwyer said a 2019 preliminary economic assessment showed about an 11‑year mine life and argued the risk to a centuries‑old fishing industry and indigenous cultural practices was too great to accept for limited employment gains.
Chilkat Forever asked the assembly to work with the community "to ensure that our communities, our economies, values, and ways of life are protected and prioritized," Fudge said. Multiple public commenters asked the borough to adopt code or policies that would limit or provide clear regulatory controls on large‑scale mining activity and material transport through sensitive areas.
The assembly did not take a formal vote on the issue during the Feb. 24 meeting; the matter remained in public comment and code‑discussion phases, with staff and the assembly noting the topic will appear in future agenda items where ordinance or resolution language would be considered.
The borough manager's report later mentioned the intergovernmental forum and correspondence from the Chilkat Indian Village, which had requested additional representation and more frequent early meetings of the proposed forum to build trust and shared understanding.
