We’re hosting three events in February to help you make informed comments on the draft strategy. Join us for a showing of The Shadow of Gold and an info session this Sunday, February 7th from 4 - 6 PM at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse. If you can’t make this Sunday, you can join us on February 20th for the same event. On February 18th we’re hosting an online event from 8 - 9 PM to showcase CPAWS Yukon’s latest film, You Almost Forget Where You Are. Part adventure, part exploration of a changing landscape, it was shot and produced in-house by Malkolm Boothroyd taking you into the heart of the Indian River Watershed, with staff and citizens from Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation. Tickets are by donation and seats are limited, so get yours ASAP! You can get tickets and info here: https://cpawsfilmnights.eventive.org/welcome.
The Mineral Development Strategy is an opportunity to bring mining into the 21st century, and also lay a strong foundation for the next decade or more. Until February 22nd, an independent panel is accepting comments on their draft recommendations to improve mining in the Yukon.
You don’t need to be a mining expert to have a comment. You are already an expert in what version of the Yukon want to see for your grandkids and generations after. To help you on the mining stuff though, we’ve created a comment guide with our thoughts. You can either use it to complete the survey or send in your own custom letter that addresses your concerns.
Check out our Comment Guide here.
Mineral Development Strategy and Wetlands
The Mineral Development Strategy is not just about how mines operate though. It can impact so many other parts of the environment. For example, wetlands in the territory could benefit from comprehensive legislation that protects them – especially since it takes generations for them to recover if disturbed.
New off-road vehicle regulations released
Disturbance can take on various forms. The Mineral Development Strategy is set to address disturbance from mining activities, and the Yukon Government’s new legislation on off-road vehicles (ORVs) is set to address disturbance by vehicles. These new policies are a step in the right direction, and CPAWS, alongside six other Yukon organizations, expressed this at a press conference yesterday. Now that the Yukon is home to more people, more trails, and more powerful ORVs, these regulations will help protect the land and experiences that we cherish.
Arctic Refuge
On January 6th, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management went ahead with the lease sale of the Arctic Refuge. The largest bidder was the state of Alaska, through the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA). In total the lease sales generated, $12 million, a far cry from the $1.8 billion that proponents predicted.
On January 20th, however, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order placing a temporary pause on oil and gas activities in the Arctic Refuge. This averts the immediate danger and gives the Administration space to work towards more lasting protections for the Arctic Refuge. The executive action specifically acknowledged the “the alleged legal deficiencies underlying the program, including the inadequacy of the environmental review” (that’s our lawsuit, folks!) and gave the Department of Interior the authority to review the program.
CPAWS Yukon Strategic Plan
Finally, we have recently released our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. This 4-year plan comes from discussions between staff and the board of directors in early 2020 about the direction that we’d like to see CPAWS Yukon take. It will be used to guide our work, but as we’ve learned in the past year, life can force you to change on the fly. So we’ll use it as a guide and make amendments if necessary (while keeping you all informed if anything major happens).
