Being the wife of a setnet fisherman, I have had the privilege of spending many summers in Tuxedni Bay. There is a reason why this area includes not only part of a national park but also a maritime refuge and one of only three areas designated by the State of Alaska as special use land, in recognition of its outstanding public recreation, tourism and wildlife habitat values.
I thank Cooper Freeman for drawing attention to the connection between the Johnson Tract gold mine project and the fate of Cook Inlet’s beluga whales (“Could an unnecessary gold mine drive Cook Inlet belugas extinct?”), since this connection is perhaps less obvious but its impact is inevitable. To be viable, the mine would need to ship its ore through Cook Inlet, further increasing the industrial noise pollution in prime beluga habitat and impacting the whales’ ability to echo-locate their prey and communicate.
It cannot be emphasized enough that this mine is not about critical minerals but gold, the quintessential symbol of human greed and vanity. Cook Inlet beluga whales and the last remnants of intact ecosystems are priceless treasures worth more than any amount of gold.
— Anna Mueller
Soldotna
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.