Be thoughtful stewards of the land

To the editor:

As our fresh snowfall marks the winter season departure of Riversdale Resources and its exploration on Castle Mountain in Chickaloon, I want to raise my personal concerns of this potential coal development in our Valley — especially considering there are three proposed coal mines in the Valley totaling more than 20,000 acres.

I am a mother of two small children, as well as a nurse practitioner specializing in pediatrics and women’s health. I am looking forward to sharing this special place with my children as they grow older and hope to teach them our Alaskan reverence for the land in ways I’ve learned to love; cross-country skiing and blueberry picking, among other things. My concern is for them.

Coal is dirty, and arguing otherwise is negligent and harmful. Mercury, released into our atmosphere when coal is burned, is the most toxic element on earth and research has shown alarming concentrations developing in mothers’ breast milk.

We must reduce this threat of mercury exposure to our most vulnerable population — developing children.

It also was recently brought to my attention that Riversdale and Hobbs Industries were cited for water quality violations during the construction of their exploration road in Chickaloon.

How can I trust this dangerous development when a simple water quality permit is broken during exploration and while global coal emissions poison our children?

Please consider these issues and be thoughtful stewards of God’s creation. Generations to come will truly thank you for it.

Aubrey Spangler

Palmer