RIVERS WITHOUT BORDERS

Will Alaska say yes or no to Tulsequah Chief?

Alaska agencies, fishing groups, conservation groups, the general public, First Nations and other interested parties are by and large, not impressed with Redcorp Ventures’ latest plan to access the Tulsequah Chief mine via hoverbarge on the Taku River.  The state of Alaska has just pulled the plug on the 30 day public comment period clock since Redcorp has failed to adequately explain how it intends to safely transport ore and fuel on one of the world’s premier salmon rivers. 

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Atlin-Taku Land Use Planning - 2nd stakeholder workshops

The 2nd Atlin-Taku land use plan stakeholder workshop sessions took place in Taku River Tlingit territory on Friday and Saturday Nov 21-22.  The workshops were highlighted by a series of interest statement presentations from stakeholders.  BC government and Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) representatives listened to a majority of interests speak to the importance of conservation, responsible fish and wildlife management and accessibility to land in the planning area.  

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Whither Galore?

In November 2007, NovaGold’s drive towards production came to a sudden halt when the Galore Creek project cost estimates soared to $5 billion from $2.2 billion.  A revised feasibility study made the company rethink its approach. In August, 2008 a class-action lawsuit was launched by a NovaGold shareholder.   The plaintiff alleged certain officers released misleading statements about costs, progress and project viability.  While this legal challenge proceeds, NovaGold is making plans to move ahead with its stalled mega-mine.   NovaGold will soon announce major changes to the project’s direction, perhaps just in time for the one year anniversary of its shelving?

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BC First Nations Mining Summit

First Nations delegates, government officials and industry representatives gathered in Prince George October 7-9, 2008 to discuss the state of mining in BC.  The objective: to produce a comprehensive BC First Nations Mineral Exploration And Mining Action Plan.   Visit http://www.bcfnms.ca/ for further details.

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Land Keepers

Interested in knowing how some BC First Nations communities are reacting to mining issues in their respective territories?

Check:  http://landkeepers.ca/ 

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Welcome Will Patric: RWB’s new executive director!

Will brings two decades of conservation campaign experience in the western U.S. to RWB.  This includes many years with the Mineral Policy Center (now Earthworks) helping communities confront environmental impacts of mining, and more recently with The Wilderness Society’s Northern Rockies office advocating for visionary, conservation oriented management by public lands agencies.  As Executive Director, Will hopes to advance the efforts of all those before him who have worked tirelessly and passionately to protect North America’s wildest watersheds and the interests of people that have long called this magnificent transboundary region home.

Taku Land Use and Wildlife Management

Congratulations to the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) for their recent Framework Agreement signing with BC for shared decision making respecting land use and wildlife management. 

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The Taku’s Wild Heart Remains Unbroken! Thanks Nola!

On this Valentine’s Day, I am thinking back to February 2005 when Rivers Without Borders (then the Transboundary Watershed Alliance) sent Cupid off to Ottawa to deliver over 1000 Valentine’s cards to the Prime Minister. Then Prime Minister Paul Martin was otherwise engaged, so Cupid delivered the Valentines to MP Peter Stoffer, a long time friend of the Taku and outspoken defender of wild salmon. Cupid was our own Nola Poirier and the Valentine’s cards implored the Canadian government to leave the wild heart of the Taku unbroken. Three years later, the Taku remains the biggest intact watershed left on the west coast of North America, and is perhaps the largest intact, fully functioning wild salmon watershed in the world.

Sadly, Rivers Without Borders can no longer claim to have Cupid on its staff roster. Nola Poirier moved on to other good work this January, and we miss her and the creativity and compassion she infected us all with. This Valentine’s Day the Canadian government is again poised to make a decision regarding the wild heart of the Taku. While Nola and her alter-ego Cupid won’t be sending poetic epistles off to the Canadian Prime Minister today, we know that she still holds the Taku and the other transboundary rivers in her heart.

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Whitehorse office - upward and onward

Rivers Without Borders’ (RWB) Whitehorse office has changed locations… South-facing, Grey Mountain viewing, a skyscraping second storey location (two storeys short of the maximum in Whitehorse). After many years of being the fortunate tenants of the generous and loving Yukon Conservation Society (YCS) staffers, RWB has made a difficult decision to spread its wings, and put itself into position for some passive Vitamin D exposure.

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Happy New Year from Rivers Without Borders!

All of us at Rivers Without Borders hope that everyone out there had an excellent holiday season, no matter how or when you celebrate it. Living north of 60, Solstice is a big celebration for my family and many of our friends. We hanker for that longest night that symbolizes the eventual return of the sun, synthesis of vitamin D, … and a little later even outdoor warmth, bears and plants with leaves.

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