Impacts

When Americans travel to coal mining areas they see the poorest areas of the country. This is because the jobs are temporary and the impacts on the land and people last forever. This is the prospect we face with a proposed coal strip mine in the Chuitna watershed.

Proposed Mine Areas - Click to Enlarge

PacRim Coals proposed mining of LMU l is only the first step in mining the Beluga coal fields. During this first step 11 miles of a salmon stream are planned to be mined to a depth of up to 350 feet deep. This would set a legal precedent in Alaska not only allowing direct mining through, complete removal of,  a salmon stream but also completely changing land use patterns of a given area. This first step will directly or indirectly destroy one-third of the salmon rearing waters of the Chuitna River.

Additional  stages of PacRims coal mining  plan include the removal of Chuitt Creek,  which makes up 50% of the entire water volume of the Chuitna River.

The Barrick coal leases would be the third step in mining through and dewatering the vast majority of what was the Chuitna River watershed. Remember LMU1 is only the beginning. The cumulative impacts of Strip mining in the Chuitna watershed would be devastating for every Alaskan.