Alaskans deserve better of Canadian mine cleanup

By Frank Rue

It’s hard to believe that the abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine, just across the Alaska border in Canada, has been discharging toxic, acidic and metals-laden waste water into the Taku River watershed for almost 70 years.

A kaleidoscope of Canadian excuses, corporate bankruptcies, and hollow promises have meant no meaningful, on-the-ground effort has been made to clean up this mess in Southeast Alaska’s top salmon-producing river system.

The mine site is about 40 air miles northeast of Juneau.

Alaskans have been pressing to have the problem addressed for decades. As Alaska Fish and Ga...