Alaska Seeks River Protections Against British Columbia Mines

More than a half dozen proposals to develop hardrock mines in northwestern British Columbia are producing worry downstream in Alaska. The mines would be located on some of the state's most productive and scenic salmon rivers, and the economic and environmental costs of a large spill of mine waste could be severe. The collapse of a tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine, which happened nearly three years ago in southern British Columbia, is still fresh in the memory. Last fall, Alaska and British Columbia officials signed an agreement that will guide watershed monitoring and public consultation for new mines. Circle of Blue reporter Brett Walton spoke with Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott about the state's concerns. The conversation touches on the difficulty of international negotiation, how the Trump administration could affect the agreement's implementation, and Alaska's definition of a successful outcome. This is HotSpots Podcast Episode 08.