Talks are underway between Alaska and British Columbia officials on how to address concerns over transboundary mining and water quality issues that could adversely impact Southeast Alaska salmon habitat.
The statement of cooperation signed in October by the state and the province provides for coordinating on a water quality monitoring program, exchanging information on the environmental performance of British Columbia mines, and enhancing existing opportunities for Alaskans to receive information and comment on new BC mining projects.
The two governments met on Dec. 16 in their first bilateral working group teleconference. While they’ve come a long way with the help of Alaska and British Columbia residents concerned about their water, fisheries and way of life, success will only be measured by how well they do going forward said Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott.
The bilateral working group members include commissioners of the Alaska Departments of Environmental Conservation, Fish and Game, Natural Resources, and the deputy ministers of the British Columbia Ministries of Environment and Energy and Mines.
“The intent is to have reliable data on current and future conditions so we can spot any changes of concern and act on them before we see significant impacts,” said Alaska Commissioner of Environmental Conservation Larry Hartig. “Although we appreciate all of the additional safeguards and government oversight BC and the Canadian federal government have been putting in place relating to mining concerns, we are expecting more commercial development and shipping in the area and believe having a monitoring program like this in place is wise.”
ADEC plans to use federal grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the next four years to support work in Alaska on this program.
The agency also plans to seek more federal assistance and to collaborate with others performing monitoring in the area.
Hartig said the state was also looking forward to collaborating with the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, who have been doing their own water monitoring studies.
Six technical staff from Alaska and British Columbia agencies responsible for developing the joint monitoring program will work with tribes, First Nations, federal agencies, and stakeholders to prepare a draft program description and work plan for consideration by the bilateral working group.
Meanwhile the two governments have already exchanged information and technical comments and under the statement of cooperation will be posting their shared information, analyses and comments on public websites.
Ed Fogels, deputy commissioner for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, said his department has been working with British Columbia on a draft set of protocols and procedures it expects to propose to the bilateral working group in January to help implement these provision of the statement of cooperation.
“DNR has already seen a ramping up of the information we have been getting from BC,” Fogels said. “In addition, DNR is developing an interactive web-based map that will make it easier for the public to get information about mining projects in BC.”
Plans are to have this ready for demonstration as early as next month,” he said.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is charged with developing a communication plan describing how Alaska and British Columbia will make available to the public data, information and analyses shared under the statement of cooperation. According to David Rogers, director of Habitat at ADF&G, their goal is to provide user-friendly access to reliable information and more meaningful engagement with tribes, First Nations and stakeholders. Rogers said his agency expects to have a detailed outline of the draft plan to present to the bilateral working group in January.
The statement of cooperation also calls for the draft plans for the water quality monitoring program and communication plan to be taken up by the bilateral working group no later than April 2017.
The environmental campaign Salmon Beyond Borders meanwhile continues to push for financial guarantees for transboundary rivers that are potentially at risk from large-scale mining projects upstream in British Columbia.
“These protections cannot be established through the Alaska-BC non-binding statement of cooperation,” said Heather Hardcastle, campaign director of Salmon Beyond Borders. The U.S. government needs to secure a binding and enforceable international agreement with Canada, she said.
Salmon Beyond Borders is also eager to learn how the state plans to respond to the British Columbia government’s recent findings that water samples taken from the Tulsequah Chief mine in the Taku River watershed are “acutely toxic,” she said.
The state’s comments on the progress of the bilateral working group made no mention of the report on the Tulsequah Chief mine, which BC Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett promised to clean up more than a year ago, she said.
