Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition Congratulates Plaintiff Tribes on Federal Court Win against Donlin Mine
By Sophi Swope. Kuskokwim Coalition on Comments Off on Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition Congratulates Plaintiff Tribes on Federal Court Win against Donlin Mine
BETHEL, ALASKA – A U.S. District Court in Alaska ruled Wednesrday, in a case brought by six Tribes from the Yukon-Kuskokwim region,, that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) must supplement the proposed Donlin Gold project’s environmental study, a well-deserved victory for the six Kuskokwim River tribes who brought suit, and a development cheered by those thousands of Alaska Natives who stand firmly against a project that would bring little benefit to the the region.
The Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition is not a plaintiff in the Federal legal challenge but, supports a group of 14 Native Alaskan Tribes plus other entities united in opposition to Donlin. Mother Kuskokwim has long suggested that a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is needed for a fair and balanced permitting decision and review process for the Donlin mine. In particular, the Court ordered that the USACE, the key federal agency responsible for permitting Donlin, must account for a much larger mine tailings spill from massive dams that would be required to hold back the project’s toxic waste.
An enormous open-pit gold mine, Donlin is proposed in the headwaters of the Kuskokwim River, which supports a vibrant and intact subsistence-based culture that has thrived in the region for hundreds of generations. Donlin is officially opposed by more than 14 individual tribal governments in the region as well as the Association of Village Council Presidents, which represents 56 Tribal governments in the region; the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation; and the National Congress of American Indians.
If constructed, the project would dramatically change Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim region, threatening the health and well-being of residents, communities, and wildlife for generations. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noted in a 2016 letterconstruction of the mine would undeniably and permanently damage water, fish and game resources, and the subsistence lifestyle of the Yukon Kuskokwim River Delta.
“The decision whether or not Donlin is allowed to contaminate our lands, waters and air with mercury and other poisons, is significant and should not be taken lightly,” said Sophie Swope, executive director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition. “Our Tribal nations have long been calling on the Army Corps to put in place the protections the majority of Yukon-Kuskokwim residents want and to protect our ways of life by conducting a holistic and realistic SEIS that takes into account the actual size of the proposed project and all future foreseeable impacts.”
“Salmon runs on the Kuskokwim River have crashed,” she continued. “Donlin further threatens our salmon at their most vulnerable time in our history by directly destroying 12 miles of salmon habitat and threatening many more through the potential for mercury releases, major increases in barge traffic and the potential for catastrophic tailings dam failure like we saw at the Mount Polley mine. Furthermore, climate change and erosion are occurring much faster in our region than Donlin’s old data predicts. Federal agencies must take another look at how the proposed Donlin mine and its infrastructure will impact our environment, people and our ways of life.”
The full list of Tribes formally opposed to Donlin Gold by adoption of resolution includes: Orutsararmiut Native Council, Native Village of Eek, Kasigluk Traditional Council, Native Village of Kwigillingok, Chuloonawick Native Village, Native Village of Kongiganak, Native Village of Tununak, Chevak Native Village, Native Village of Napakiak, Chefornak Traditional Council, Nightmute Traditional Council, Native Village of Nunapitchuk, Kwinhagak Tribal Council, Tuluksak Tribal Council, Organized Village of Kwethluk, Aniak Traditional Council.
