The state says the ecosystem in Hawk Inlet is healthy, eating traditional foods from there doesn\u2019t pose an increased health risk and indications of high metal levels isn\u2019t linked with the Greens Creek mine.<\/p>\n
Recommendations and information were in the state\u2019s 20-page response to the City of Angoon regarding high levels of metals found in traditional subsistence foods by the Friends of Admiralty Island, a nonprofit that advocates for the island\u2019s protection. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation sent the letter to Angoon Mayor Albert Howard Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased on what we know about edible marine species in the area of Hawk Inlet, the results reported by Friends of Admiralty Island appear to be similar to what had been measured prior to Greens Creek mine development,\u201d said Allan Nakanishi, an engineer with the DEC. He works in the mining section\u2019s wastewater discharge authorization program and oversees Greens Creek mine, which is run by Hecla Mining Company.<\/p>\n
Last May, an Angoon seal hunter harvested a seal just outside the entrance of Hawk Inlet, located about 40 miles northwest of the village. Friends of Admiralty Island tested tissue samples of the seal and found high concentrations of mercury and other metals.<\/p>\n
Lab results also showed Hawk Inlet seaweed, cockles, crab, shrimp, clams and mussels had a higher concentration of metals compared to other parts of the state. The Angoon Community Association was concerned about the health risks of consuming these traditional foods and warned Angoon residents not to collect foods in the area. The tribe forwarded the lab results to the state and asked for help interpreting the results.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt appears to be metals reflected of the environment,\u201d Nakanishi said. \u201cHawk Inlet does have natural occurring drainages from highly mineralized areas, so we did not see any direct evidence indicating that Greens Creek mine was the specific source of the metals that were detected in the Friends report.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nakanishi said the state did a comparison of the Hawk Inlet species with similar species located on other parts of Admiralty Island and noted the metal results were similar. Nakanishi noted the data set comparison is small, but the metal levels \u201cappear to be within expected ranges of variability.\u201d<\/p>\n
The state also said Angoon residents can safely consume seaweed and shellfish, such as clams, crab, shrimp and mussels, found near Hawk Inlet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I lived in Angoon, I\u2019d consume these foods,\u201d said Ali Hamade, environmental public health program manager for the Department of Health and Social Services.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that if people consumed at the rate that Angoon residents consume these different traditional foods, they would not expect to see any increased health risks from that consumption. To the contrary, those traditional foods have so many health benefits,\u201d Hamade said.<\/p>\n
Hamade did warn that the high levels of mercury and other metals found in the seal\u2019s liver wouldn\u2019t be recommended for women of childbearing age or children. Lower levels of metals were found in the seal muscle and the kidney. He said further testing of marine mammals in the area would be helpful.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know where that seal got the containments that were measured in it. Is it from Hawk Inlet? Is it from somewhere else, or a combination? It\u2019s really tough because seals move around. They\u2019re not just in one location like shellfish or a resident fish,\u201d Hamade said.<\/p>\n
The seal tested by the Friends of Admiralty Island was an older adult male, which Hamade said will naturally have higher concentration of metals. \u201cAs a general rule of thumb, younger animals will have lower concentration of contaminants. If you want to consume seal, if it\u2019s a younger seal, chances are you will get a lower amount of contaminants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ideally, Hamade would like to see more sampling and more testing.<\/p>\n
Angoon Mayor Albert Howard agreed. When reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, he hadn\u2019t read the state\u2019s entire response, but said he doesn\u2019t agree that Hawk Inlet\u2019s ecosystem is healthy and he\u2019s still concerned about the risks associated with eating traditional foods from there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re eating more than we usually do because of the high cost of food here. You actually have to live in Angoon to understand our situation, and I don\u2019t think anyone there does or wants to,\u201d Howard said.<\/p>\n
He said he wants the state to test the village\u2019s food.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they need to understand the health and well-being of Angoon is my responsibility as a leader and that\u2019s all I\u2019m asking \u2014 (for) them to ensure that everyone is going to be OK and that our food is OK,\u201d Howard said.<\/p>\n
K.J. Metcalf of Friends of Admiralty Island said more information is needed to make conclusions regarding the mine\u2019s connection to the high metal concentration found in traditional foods. He said the state should conduct a pre-mining baseline study to understand the affects of the mine on the ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"