Salmon Beyond Borders and SEITC working to create united front against transboundary mining

For many people in Southeast Alaska, mining operations in nearby British Columbia is a source of concern. While these mines are across the border in Canadian jurisdiction, many of them are located in the watersheds of rivers that cross back into Alaska. Should an accident or pollution occur at these mines, whatever flows downriver could have a major impact on the lives and livelihoods of many people, Canadian and Alaskan.

Salmon Beyond Borders is one Southeast Alaskan organization campaigning to raise awareness around transboundary mining and to pursue policy changes to better protect rivers. Another organization with similar goals is the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC). Both groups came together in a Wrangell meeting last Thursday, Sept. 5, to discuss their shared goals and some steps being taken towards stronger transboundary protections.

Breanna Walker, campaign coordinator with Salmon Beyond Borders, said that there are three main river watersheds they are concerned about: The Taku, the Stikine, and the Unuk. According to a pamphlet passed around at the meeting, the Taku River is the number one salmon producer in Southeast Alaska, followed by the Stikine River at number two. The Unuk River is among the top five king salmon runs in the region, as well. Among these three watersheds, she said, British Columbia has roughly a dozen mine at various stages of construction, operation, or abandonment.

"These three rivers have been hubs of culture and commerce for thousands of years," Walker said. "Today, they are huge parts of our economy in Southeast Alaska, as well as important places for our ways of life. Taku, Stikine, and Unuk together support a $2 billion combined industry for commercial fishing and tourism."

Salmon Beyond Borders and the SEITC have both seen positive steps towards better protections for these rivers. SEITC recently held a "Stikine River Rally" to raise awareness of the transboundary issues, back in August. Around that visit, CEO Tis Peterman said that they had the opportunity to meet with several members of the International Joint Commission.

"I think they were very sincere and concerned with our issue," Peterman said. "In fact, one of the commissioners stopped me after the meeting and said 'We hear you,' he said 'It's happening in our state, as well.'"

The IJC is a joint American and Canadian group that helps settle disputes over water the two countries share. Following up with this meeting, Peterman said that both the SEITC and Salmon Beyond Borders would be traveling to Washington D.C. this week to meet with the whole IJC, and other organizations, to highlight their concerns.

"We have meetings with the state department, we have meetings with the IJC, and we also have meetings with the EPA," she said.

Walker said that the United States and Canada have a memorandum of understanding in regards to mining and transboundary rivers, but that is not enough to protect Southeast Alaskans should a mining disaster occur.

What Salmon Beyond Borders is hoping to accomplish is a binding international agreement to protect transboundary watersheds. This has seen some steps forward recently, as well, she said. This past spring, for example, Congress sent a bipartisan letter to John Horgan, premier of British Columbia, urging higher standards of oversight and accountability be put in place for transboundary mining operations. During this meeting, Walker added that they were collecting signatures for a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to pursue similar goals.

"It's starting to gel," Peterman said. "People are starting to listen, but we have to keep going."

More information about Salmon Beyond Borders can be found at http://www.salmonbeyondborders.org, and the SEITC can be found at http://www.seitc.org.