Chilkat Indian Village Opposes Palmer Mine to Protect Chilkat River Watershed in Alaska

Wild Pacific salmon in the Chilkat River in Southeast Alaska. Photo by Connor Gallagher

The Eternal Village of Klukwan

The Chilkat Indian Village (CIV) of Klukwan has existed since time immemorial, with its traditional territory spanning over 2.6 million acres in Southeast Alaska and present-day British Columbia, Canada. “Tlakw Aan” (Klukwan) translates to “Eternal Village” or “The Village That Has Always Been.” Klukwan is located in the upper Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska just 18 miles south of the Canadian border and 22 miles north by road from Haines, Alaska. 

The longevity of this “Eternal Village” has always been connected to abundant resources available at the confluence between the Chilkat, Klehini, and Tsirku Rivers. Klukwan relies upon the health of the rivers, animals, and plants to support a subsistence-based economy that ultimately sustains a healthy, thriving, and interconnected community. Chilkat Indian Village (Tlákw Aan-Klukwan) are the original stewards of Jilḵáat Aani Ḵa Héeni (Chilkat River Watershed).

The Chilkat Indian Village in Klukwan, Alaska.

Protecting the Watershed Through Tribal Sovereignty

The Jilḵáat Ḵwáan (people of the Chilkat River) have a deep-rooted connection to the land, water, plants, and wildlife within the Jilḵáat Aani Ḵa Héeni (Chilkat Valley Watershed), which sustains their culture and way of life. In May 2022, the Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan) created Ordinance # 2022–01 “AN ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THE CHILKAT RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES IN THE CHILKAT VALLEY, ALASKA.” 

The ordinance highlights the significance of the Chilkat River watershed, which supports all five species of wild Pacific salmon, hooligan, mammals, birds, and medicinal plants, providing both food and economic value to the communities in Klukwan and Haines. These foods, animals, and plants play a critical role in the foundation of the Chilkat Indian Village’s health and way of life. The ordinance, grounded in the Chilkat Indian Village’s inherent sovereignty, aims to protect natural resources of the Chilkat Valley from activities that could degrade water quality to ensure the preservation of the watershed for future generations. 

The Chilkat Indian Village located on the banks of the Chilkat River. Photo by Connor Gallagher

A Rich Ecosystem Worth Protecting

The Chilkat Valley, located in the upper Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska, is characterized by braided glacial rivers, lush old-growth rainforests, and multiple large mountain ranges. The Chilkat River, which runs through the Chilkat Valley, is home to all five species of wild Pacific salmon, steelhead, and Dolly Varden trout. It also hosts one of the largest sockeye salmon runs in Southeast Alaska, the second largest coho salmon run, and the world-renowned Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. The Chilkat River also supports the world’s largest gathering of bald eagles in the world and is a major migration passage for many Alaska birds.

The Chilkat River is a destination for thousands of annual visitors who want to experience Alaska's adventure capital. The health of this habitat is essential for the continual growth of the visitor industry in Haines. The visitor industry reported earnings of over $241 million in 2022 in Southeast Alaska. In 2023, leisure & hospitality was the second-largest employment sector in the Haines Borough.

The health of the Chilkat Valley is also vital for the return of fish stocks that keep hardworking fishermen employed and families in the Chilkat Valley—and beyond—stocked with salmon for year-round nutritional access. Approximately 109 Haines Borough residents hold active commercial fishing permits, earning a combined $7.7 million in fisheries across the state in 2023.

Tributaries of the Chilkat River watershed. Photo by Connor Gallagher

Threats of the proposed Palmer Mine Project

The Palmer mine project is in pursuit of gold, copper, silver, and zinc. It is currently in the advanced exploration stage, moving towards full-scale permitting and development near Klukwan and Haines, Alaska. It is located next to Glacier Creek, a tributary of the Klehini River, which flows directly into the Chilkat River. This area is an active earthquake fault line, surrounded by steep cliffs on flood-prone land, next to a glacier, making it a high-risk site for a large-scale hardrock mine. 

One of the most serious threats of the proposed Palmer mine project is the impact of acid mine drainage on the Chilkat River. Acid mine drainage is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “the formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals.” It can be released anywhere where sulfides are exposed to air and water. Even trace amounts of heavy metals in mining wastewater, such as copper, zinc, gold, and silver, are toxic to salmon and could negatively impact wild fish and surrounding wildlife. The EPA estimates that mining has already contaminated streams in the headwaters of more than 40 percent of the watersheds in the American West. Read more about the impacts of acid mine drainage here.

Aerial view of the Palmer mine project located in a high-risk area alongside sensitive wild salmon streams.

Corporate Instability Underscores Local Promises

In November of 2024, Dowa Metals and Mining gave up roughly 70% interest in the proposed Palmer mine project. This allowed American Pacific Mining Corp. to take full ownership of the project, in which it previously held a 30% minority stake. American Pacific Mining Corp. is the owner of Constantine, the operator of the project. As of May of 2025, American Pacific Mining Corp. has stated their intent to sell the project. The constant change of hands in this project reflects the uncertainty of the mineral extraction industry. For over ten years, these companies have touted the job opportunities this project would provide to local residents of the Chilkat Valley. Now that American Pacific Mining Corp. has announced that the project will not be operating this summer, it seems likely that their local employees are now seeking new employment opportunities elsewhere. 

Take Action to Keep the Chilkat River Clean and Full of Fish – Forever.

The potential sale of the Palmer mine project does not mean the end of its threat to our river and way of life in Klukwan and Haines. This is an important time for us to voice our opposition to large-scale hardrock mining in the Chilkat Valley. Let’s make it clear to new potential investors and owners that our communities are not willing to trade our clean water and wild salmon for risky, short-term gains from mineral extraction. 

Wild salmon cut into strips to be dried and smoked.

Kimberley Strong, President of Chilkat Indian Village, told CBC, "It's still a major threat…We need food security. We need clean water. Jeopardize that situation with a hard rock acid mine, we're threatening our survivability. We can't eat the minerals. This may give us an opportunity to take a deep breath and gather more people on our canoe journey of trying to protect [the valley]." Read more from CBC here.