Make your voice heard on the Tulsequah Chief Hoverbarge plan!
Say no to permits for Redcorp Ventures’ Tulsequah Chief hoverbarge proposal until all concerns have been addressed and all studies have been completed. Government agencies, First Nations, conservation groups and concerned citizens need all the details in order to make a decision that will affect the Taku River, Southeast Alaska’s most lucrative salmon producer. Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently asked Redcorp for further information regarding its proposed hoverbarge transportation system. The end of the public comment period has now been suspended indefinitely from the Feb 21st date, pending the company’s submission of required information to the Alaska Coastal Management Program consistency review team. Once Redcorp responds to the state’s second request for further project information, the public comment period will be re-engaged, and a final date for public comments will then be decided.
See Alaska DNR’s comprehensive Tulsequah Chief page.
See RWB’s public comment submissions tip sheet to craft an effective letter for Alaska DNR.
DOWNLOAD RWB’s HOVERBARGE REPORT.
Backgrounder
Redcorp Ventures proposes to transport ore daily out of the Tulsequah Chief mine site with a hoverbarge and amphitrac tug vehicle. The mine site is situated about 60 km upstream from Juneau, Ak., in British Columbia, Canada on the shores of the Taku River. A hoverbarge has never been used for this purpose or in a river like the Taku, while the amphitrac is a new vehicle. The closest parallel was in the 1970’s when a hoverbarge was winched back and forth across the Yukon river near Fairbanks Alaska. This is a far cry from having a hoverbarge towed or pushed by an amphitrac vehicle over land, gravel bars, ice and water in a salmon-rich river like the Taku. This transportation system will have to negotiate strong currents, shallow areas, winds and heavy weather common to the Taku.
Download Redcorp’s project description documents Volume 1 and Volume 2 in pdf format from British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office’s website. Read the documents that agencies, First Nations and members of the general public are studying.
Alaska
Fishermen, property owners, elected leaders and Juneau citizens have a long list of concerns and questions that need to be addressed. Here’s more information on how to write your own public comment:
See Alaska fishing groups’ letter of concern to Governor Palin.
See letter to Redcorp re: potential impacts to Taku salmon resources and local fishing business
See Dec 14th Juneau Empire story: Comment period to open for Taku Hoverbarge.
See Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s memo dated Dec 5th, 2007.
See what agencies, fishermen and First Nations are saying about the hoverbarge.
Submit your written comments by to:
Tulsequah Chief Project Comments
ATTN: Tom Crafford, Mining Coordinator ADNR / Office of Project Management and Permitting
550 West Seventh Ave., Suite 900D
Anchorage, AK 99501
Telephone: (907) 269-8629 Fax: (907) 269-8930
Email: tom.crafford@alaska.gov
Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
DFO has yet to issue a decision on the hoverbarge proposal and is awaiting further information from Redcorp. DFO has already submitted a series of questions and strong concerns to the BC government and Canadian federal permitting processes cannot begin until this new information is available. DFO has not specified a timeframe for public comment submissions. Stay tuned for further details.
For further information or to submit a letter, please direct your inquiries to:
Dale Desrochers Habitat Biologist
Pacific Region
Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement
200-401 Burrard St.
Vancouver, BC. V6C 3S3
email: info@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office’s (BC EAO) website
See documents already posted to BC’s EAO website on their Tulsequah-Barging page. Letters generated by the following during BC’s public comment period (Sept-Oct ‘07) are available for download in pdf format:
Taku River Tlingit First Nation,
Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources,
US Department of Interior,
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
Douglas Indian Association,
Ministry of Environment, and
Rivers Without Borders
Although BC EAO’s comment period has come to a close, inquiries can still be directed to:
Garry Alexander
Project Assessment Director
BC Environmental Assessment Office
PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9V1
(250) 387-9675; 1-800-663-7867
email: garry.alexander@gov.bc.ca