Three Alaska Native tribes filed a lawsuit to stop a controversial gold mining operation east of Nome. The tribes say a permit just granted by the U.S. Corps of Engineers will allow the destruction of salmon habitat and other important environmental elements in a pristine estuary. The mining process involves extracting ore from material dredged from river and ocean beds.

On the other side of the state, residents of Wrangell are concerned about a gold mine just over the border in Canada. A new report finds heavy metals in groundwater on the Alaska side.

GUESTS

Esther Aaltséen Reese (Tlingit), tribal administrator for the Wrangell Cooperative Association and president of the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission

Deilah Johnson (Iñupiaq), tribal resources director and council member for the Village of Solomon

Stephanie Barclay, professor of law at Georgetown Law School

Vanessa Nosie (San Carlos Apache), member of Apache Stronghold

Break 1 Music: They Sing to Each Other (song) Pamyua (artist) Side A Side B (album)

Break 2 Music: Butterfly Clouds (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Su’Vu’Yo’Yungw (album)