Chilkat and Klehini Rivers
Wild salmon are under increasing threat from climate change and ocean conditions, which means we must do all we can to protect freshwater habitat…We can’t let short-term mine profits for foreign companies threaten the long-term health of the Chilkat watershed and those who depend on it.
Chris Zimmer, Alaska Director, Rivers Without Borders
Most endangered rivers
Threat: Mining
Every year, hundreds of thousands of salmon swim from the Pacific Ocean into the Jilḵáat Aani Ḵa Héeni (Chilkat River watershed) to spawn. Alaska natives and other communities depend upon the river and its abundance for their culture and livelihood. But the Palmer Project, a proposed copper and zinc mine, is about to move to the next stage of development, which could release hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic wastewater per day into nearby creeks that feed directly into the Klehini and Chilkat rivers, potentially crippling the entire ecosystem of the Chilkat Valley. This is in addition to the already concerning impacts of climate change, such as rapid glacier melting and a historic increase in rainfall. Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must act now to ensure the fundamental protections guaranteed by the federal Clean Water Act are not abandoned and a grave environmental injustice is not allowed.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- Alaska Clean Water Advocacy
- Endorsed by Chilkat Indian Village
Protect the Chilkat and Klehini Rivers
Tell Congress and the EPA to uphold the Clean Water Act and ensure proper permitting to protect the rivers and their ecosystems