The Skagway Borough assembly has resumed its discussion of containerized ore transfers. As the community prepares to renovate its waterfront facilities, borough officials want to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Skagway Assembly members are discussing an ordinance that would require all bulk ore shipments transiting through Skagway to be placed in sealed containers.
Potter: “This is up there as one of the most important decisions that we can make at this table regarding the future of Skagway.”
Assembly member Deb Potter made clear how seriously she takes the issue.
Potter: “We recently had a fundraiser for – I don’t even know anymore – the fourth or fifth person in Skagway that has Lou Gehrig’s disease, and these rates of cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease just seem astronomical.”
Lou Gehrig’s disease is linked to lead pollution. The Skagway Harbor is contaminated with lead and zinc from past ore shipments. Skagway officials discussing the ordinance hope that transporting ore in sealed containers will prevent further pollution.
Everybody at the table, and the many residents who came to comment, supported the idea. The ore comes from the Yukon, and assembly member Orion Hanson said he had reached out to the Yukon government.
Hanson: “I had a phone conversation yesterday with a member of the Yukon government who said that they are in favor of this ordinance, and have reached out to the mining industry who said that they generally are in favor of it as well.”
The assembly voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance. A second reading of it will take place at a later meeting.
