The Palmer mineral deposit is contained within the ridge in the left foreground. Viewpoint is looking northeast, up the Klehini River Valley and across the Canadian border.
(Photo Courtesy of Takshanuk Watershed Council, Photo by Connor Gallagher)

Some Haines residents are concerned about oversight for a hydrology study carried out by Constantine Metal Resources for the Department of Environmental Conservation. The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council recently met to discuss the issue with representatives from DEC.

Constantine Metal Resources plans to drill a mile-long tunnel at its mineral exploration site in the Chilkat Valley. During excavation they would discharge wastewater from the tunnel into an underground diffuser system. When the Department of Environmental Conservation approved discharge permits for the project, local conservation groups raised concerns about wastewater entering nearby streams from underground. 

DEC requested a tracer-dye study to better understand how water flows through the ground at the Palmer Project.

On November 15, Takshanuk Watershed Council asked to monitor the study but Constantine denied the request. At a meeting of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council last week, council member Kip Kermoian questioned why Constantine wouldn’t allow third party monitoring. 

“I think what we need is transparency,” Kermoian said. “Having someone there to observe sampling is not an unreasonable request considering the potential impacts of this project to this valley.”

Constantine hired Ozark Underground Laboratories to design and supervise the dye study. Constantine’s staff collected data for the study from early November until December 11th. 

The company’s vice president of community and external affairs Liz Cornejo said the decision to deny Takshanuk Watershed Council’s request was related to safety concerns and bad timing.

“The request we received for third party observation from Takshanuk came at the very tail end of the study and it was essentially complete by the time that request was received and therefore the third party observation was just not possible at that time.”

While some who attended the meeting felt that Constantine was not being transparent, others disagreed. Haines resident and Alaska Miners Association member Richard Clement felt that third party monitoring is uncalled for. 

“It’s just another attack to undermine the professionalism and integrity of the mining industry,” Clement said.

DEC wastewater discharge program manager Gene McCabe explained that the state does not require an impartial monitor to observe studies that inform wastewater permit decisions. McCabe also noted that the results of the dye study may not have any impact on the permitting for the Palmer Project.

“Perhaps additional sampling may be required. We don’t know yet,” McCabe said. “We’re trying to answer a specific question about the connectivity between the discharge point and surface waters nearby.”

The results of the Palmer Project dye study are expected some time in February.