Opposing The Proposed Chuitna Coal Strip Mine

To:  Governor Sarah Palin

WHEREAS, Upper Cook Inlet supports important fish and game resources, including salmon, bear, and moose, that provide essential subsistence, sport and commercial fishing and hunting opportunities;

WHEREAS, PacRim Coal, a Delaware corporation owned by wealthy Texans, is seeking state and federal permits to develop the Chuitna coal strip mine 45 miles west of Anchorage, along the shores of Cook Inlet, near the communities of Tyonek and Beluga;

WHEREAS, the proposed Chuitna coal strip mine would, if fully developed, destroy roughly 30 square miles of fish and game habitat, and would discharge millions of gallons of mine waste each day into the salmon-rich watershed of the Chuitna River and into Cook Inlet fisheries;

WHEREAS, commercial coal use will aggravate climate change in Alaska where the effects of global warming are readily apparent, and will add mercury to Alaska’s prized fisheries;

WHEREAS, coal dust is a public health hazard having acute health effects including asthma and other respiratory illnesses, of which children are especially vulnerable;

WHEREAS, the Cook Inlet region boasts substantial coal reserves, and the Chuitna coal project will set an important precedent for coal strip mining and fish and game management for many years to come;

WHEREAS, Cook Inlet possesses world class energy resources, including natural gas, wind, tidal and geothermal resources, that can produce cleaner energy and lasting jobs, and investments in coal will preclude development of better alternatives.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE UNDERSIGNED DO HEREBY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED CHUITNA COAL STRIP MINE.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Opposing The Proposed Chuitna Coal Strip Mine Petition to Governor Sarah Palin was created by Cook Inletkeeper in association with Chuitna Citizens No Coal-ition and written by Bob Shavelson (bob@inletkeeper.org).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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