Clean up yesterday's mine before permitting tomorrow's.

Former Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Frank Rue hit the nail on the head in this May 22, 2026 Juneau Empire op-ed calling upon British Columbia to “Clean up yesterday’s mine before permitting tomorrow’s.”  This with regard to BC moving forward with the permitting review process for the proposed New Polaris mine in the lower Taku while, just two and a half miles away, the infamous abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine continues discharging acid and toxic metals wastewater into the Taku River system.  Frank acknowledges that some progress has been made toward the Tulsequah Chief remediation, but there is as yet no plan and no timetable for closure and cleanup.  He writes:  “Before considering a new mine in the Taku watershed, British Columbias should finish the job they have started.  Cleanup of Tulsequah Chief should not be a footnote to progress. It should be the prerequisite.”