Alaska Gov. Mead Treadwell Says Alaska Coastal Management Plan Cost Would Be $5.4 million

American states with ocean coastlines have some input into Federal management of it's lands on those areas. I would guess that includes federal timber rich lands plundered in the Tongass Forest of Alaska as well as the other more than 6000 miles of coastline. St. Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell estimates the cost to the state to have it own coastal management plan would be 5.4 million dollars per year. The previous coastal management plan sunsetted out earlier this year, and so the next might go onto a state ballot

Just a few days ago a popular Juneau area beach named Sandy Beach was found after chemical laboratory testing sent by a local Tlingit group to contain toxic levels of mercury leftover from the Treadwell mine area that was driven below the Gastineau Channel and under the beach area. Long ago the Treadwell mine entrance at Sandy Beach collapsed.

The Treadwell Mine produced more than 3 million troy onces of gold before collape in 1922. Treadwell, a carpenter, sold his claim for 1.5 million dollars earlier and left for San Francisco. The mine at Douglas (across the channel from Juneau) went a deep a 2400 feet below the surface.

Mercury poisoning is a sad consequence of the mining process even today as it is used to extract gold from other minerals. In prior times fish contaminated with mercury were banned by the federal government from sales in the United States. It is on ongoing concern for fishermen, crabbers and others that make their living toiling to bring seafood to the table.

Some Alaskans have long been concerned about environmental quality and shoreline conservation and are concerned to stop the destruction of shoreline and contiguous ecosphere regions' health. The residents of the Earth aren't known to be planning to evacuate soon and return to the planet E.T. where sugar-plumbs grow toxin free.

http://hainesnews.net/2011/12/20/coastal-management-would-cost-5-4-million-state-estimates/

http://www.ktoonews.org/2011/12/12/popular-beach-may-have-high-mercury-levels/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treadwell_gold_mine