Alaska Inter-Tribal Council

ALASKA INTER-TRIBAL COUNCIL
RESOLUTION #2005-05
TITLE: Opposing the development of the pebble gold-copper-molybdenum porphyry mining district.

WHEREAS, the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council (AITC) is a statewide consortium of sovereign tribes sharing a common bond of unique cultures, languages, spirituality, and traditional values, established in 1992 to advocate for the inherent rights of tribes in Alaska, and

WHEREAS, Alaska Natives have long used the lands, which will continue to be used by future generations, down stream from the Pebble Gold-Copper Mining District along the Mulchatna and Koktuli (Qurtuli) River corridors and other navigable and non-navigable rivers and creeks which flow to the Nushagak River and Nushagak Bay for subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering; and

WHEREAS, Alaska Natives have long used the lands, which will continue to be used by future generations, in and around the Pebble Gold-Copper Mining District to the north and east and south in which the navigable and non-navigable rivers and creeks flow to Lake Clark, Six Mile Lake and Iliamna Lake which flow to the Kvichak River and Kvichak Bay; and

WHEREAS, the lands and streams, and rivers surrounding the Pebble Gold-Copper Mining District, Mulchatna, Koktuli, Upper and Lower Telarik Creek, Chulitna, Newhalen, Kvichak Rivers and Nikubuna, Lake Clark, Six Mile and Iliamna Lake are used for subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering; and

WHEREAS, other villages surrounding the Pebble Gold-Copper Mining District have long used the lands, to the north, east, south, in which navigable and non-navigable rivers, streams flow for subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering, and will be used by future generations.

WHEREAS, if the mining district is developed there is a strong likelihood (probability) that there will be detrimental impact on the environmental, water and air quality, fish and wild life resources and spawning and calving grounds, and health of residents and subsistence hunters living or using the land adjacent to the tributaries in the mining district; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the parties to the resolution strongly oppose the development of the mining district and request the Governor of the State of Alaska and its administration halt all plans to develop the mining district area; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the parties to the resolution respectfully request the Lake and Peninsula Borough to reconsider and withdraw their "resolution" that was put forth without consideration how the "Impact Villages" or villages within the Borough felt about the Pebble Gold Copper Mining District; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of AITC until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2005 Annual Convention of the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, held at the
Coast International Inn, in Anchorage, Alaska on December 7, 2005 with a quorum present.

Submitted by: Ekwok Village Council and Nondalton