Chilkat River: Alaska's Endangered Salmon Threatened by Proposed Mine

0:00The Chilkat River up in Haynes, Alaska just got named one of America's 10 most endangered rivers for the third time and under a decade. That's according to American rivers, the group that drops this list every year. This southeast Alaska waterway runs strong with all five Pacific salmon species and feed subsistence needs for the Cluquan native village and folks around there. The Chilkat Indian village pushed for this spot through their Chilkat forever campaign to shine a light on real dangers. The Big Threat, a proposed mine called the Palmer Project, hunting copper, gold, silver and bearite, right near a creek that dumps into the river's watershed. It's been kicking around for decades, still just an early exploration. Village President Kimberly Strong says the heat's turning up because Governor Dunlevy jumped on board with a support letter earlier this year. He called it one of Alaska's top resource plays, tying right into the Trump administration's push to tap the state's natural riches. For the community, that ramps up fears for their salmon runs and way of life.

1:03This isn't the first alert. Chilkat hit the list back in 2019 and 2023. American rivers picks based on a river's value to people and wildlife, how bad the threats hit, and any big decisions looming. Dozens of spots got nominated, but only 10 made the cut. Visla Copper, the Canadian company owning the project, stayed quiet on permits or the listing. With political back and growing, the tribes watching close, fighting to keep their river flowing free for generations ahead, stay informed with Anchorage News Today, AI-powered updates, I'm Corey with The Story.