US Forest Service Submitting a Land Water Conservation Fund Proposal for Funding to Purchase the KADCO Bering River Coal Title Patent
UPDATE: We're excited to announce that
this campaign was successful!
Read on to learn about this important effort.
The Alaska Region of the U.S. Forest Service is applying for competitive national funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire the coal sub-surface title held by the Korea Alaska Development Corporation (KADCO) on the last unprotected 11,920 acres of the Bering River coalfields.
USDA Request letters email deadline: Midnight Thursday October 21, 2021.
Many of you know of the decades long work EPC and the Native Conservancy land trust have done to protect, preserve and to purchase the entirety of the Bering River Coalfields that will lead to the preservation of the Copper River Delta.
Here's OUR request:
YES, review the USDA Fact Sheet and write a letter to Alaska Regional Forester David Schmid:
I support a purchase of the KADCO subsurface coal title extinguishing all coal mining rights.
PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR SUPPORT LETTER:
The Bering River coalfields are in wild salmon Eyak ancestral lands. My request strongly states: it is wise, efficient, and with historical proof of decades of preservation protection by the Eyak Preservation Council and the Native Conservancy that the conservation covenant (Servitude Agreement) for the KADCO subsurface coal title should, indeed must, be held by the Native Conservancy land trust, in keeping with the 62,000-acres of adjacent Bering River coal title, held safely in trust by the Native Conservancy since December 16, 2016.
KADCO's Bering River Coal patents should be held in trust by the Eyak Community Land Trust to ensure permanent protection of the Bering River Coalfields by the original and current stewards and guardians of the Copper River Delta region.
- via email by midnight Thursday, October 21 to allison.gillum@usda.gov
- also by postal mail, to:
- David Schmid
Regional Forester
U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region
PO Box 21628
Juneau, AK 99802-1628
Many of you are aware...
...and have helped with letters, actions and comments in support of keeping our surrounding precious ecosystem pristine and regenerative, for our culture, our livelihoods, and for our children. This work has HELPED bring us to where we are today: THANK YOU - AWA'AHDAH
The EPC, and the Native Conservancy land trust (recognized in 2003) have done widespread outreach: with the press and the people, fishermen and community of Cordova; sending hundreds of letters to Congress, and giving presentations and informational meetings in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, all the way up to direct meetings with the Department of Agriculture leadership (multiple meetings in Washington DC with Secretary Thomas Vilsack and more). Respected national leaders, i.e. Theodore Roosevelt IV, Gifford Pinchot III have joined in. The Bering River Coal Keep Coal in the Ground effort has received international notice and endorsement (i.e. Jane Goodall).
Some of you may remember additional historical points, with a noteworthy beginning in 1998: the Carbon Mountain Road Rider. The roadbuilding effort was physically stopped by the Eyak Preservation Council and an organized non-violent direct action. EPC's and Native Conservancy founders then traveled to Washington DC with some teammates and lobbied against the Chugach Road rider. EPC was successful in reaching up to then President Clinton, and the Chugach Road rider was pulled from the Appropriations bill. The Carbon Mountain road was never attempted again.
So many have helped with this effort: again we thank you, as without your belief and help, these lands could have been developed and the pristine and regenerative wild salmon ecosystem irrevocably harmed.
It's Not Over
Coal prices are higher then they have ever been in history: Soaring demand for the world's least-liked commodity sees thermal coal prices jump 106% this year*.
China and Asian countries are buying coal, mining coal, building new coal power plants. As you know, our Alaska Governor is all for mining and drilling for every shred of carbon in Alaska lands and waters.
Until this coalfield is completely purchased with the secure titled conservation covenant in the Native Conservancy, our work is not over. Keep in touch. Thank you for writing your support letter to David Schmid - by tomorrow, Thursday, midnight.
