Southeast Alaska Tribes Want Voice in BC Mines Permitting
An umbrella entity for 15 Southeast Alaska Native tribes seeking better protection of transboundary watersheds of the Taku, Stikine and Unuk rivers is asking for a seat at the table whenever British Columbia processes permits for new mines.
The request from the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC) on March 20 referenced a letter from Alaska legislators sent to British Columbia Premier David Eby on March 13.
Legislators told Eby in that correspondence that the U.S. and Canada federal governments, as well as indigenous peoples on both sides of the border have a responsibility and opportunity to better managed their shared watersheds in a constructive and cooperative manner.
The letter notes that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (...