Fish Are More Important!

THIS IS A MINI BRISTOL BAY MOMENT.

The pictured spawning salmon stream feeds bears, eagles, and an intact wolf pact and other wildlife non the land that the historic Wolf Trail Lodge sits upon. The stream is fed by the Cook Inlet where the fish swim from then spawn here, then the fry swim back to the waters of the Kenai and ocean. Over the years million of fry have swam back and forth with all the challenges they face by predators, fishermen/women, pollution but they are now facing an even bigger threat because the State of Alaska Department of Transportation is proposing to destroy this stream by inserting a longer culvert, which is now being termed “smooth cylinders” but a culvert by any other name is still a culvert. Huge culverts/smooth cylinders are not good for spawning salmon, in fact culverts are being taken out of Washington State by Court order.

The DOT  also suggested  using gravel/rock i.e. fill  over the stream, not ideal for spawning salmon,  for a road that in many people’s opinion is not only unwarranted but is just another example of wasting taxpayers money while there is a lack of strict environmental controls that should be in place when fish in Alaska are at risk.

This stream is part of the larger watershed of  Moose Pass, a small town of about 219 residents, with large lakes, and streams  feeding into the larger lakes such as Kenai Lake and the rivers in Coopers Landing , and our jewel the Kenai River, Moose Pass streams, lakes, tributaries are the headstreams supplying Alaskans with fish for food, jobs, tourism. Moose Pass is under attack , the Kenai Hydro Plant was approved and going to being built, it has been touted “ green energy” but again it is within this delicate watershed on Grant Lake and other salmon streams, and what most Alaskans are unaware of is the stringent environmental provisions and suggestions about how the hydro would impact the fish were rejected, the Federal Energy Regulator Commission decided to study the water temperature not specific impacts on the fish as advised by several environmental agencies. (See article library)

This means the foxes are watching the hen house, and only concerned with the temperature of the water. Hence,  if they are wrong about how the fish will spawn here along with all the disturbances from building and maybe even blasting then it will have long lasting detrimental impacts upon our fish which should never happen. It is our contention the most stringent environmental protocols should be applied whenever large bodies of water with fish are concerned because Alaskans livelihood depend on it.

If it was only the hydro plant on Grant Lake this may not have a huge impact but this hydro plant needs a road, so in the infinite wisdom  and quite baffling decision, the Kenai Brough allowed the  forest to be sold and rezoned  for  the access road.  (See article library.) All these projects with increased people, equipment, environmental disturbances, confused wildlife,  will disrupt fish but it seems no one can do anything about it.  Moreover, the road may require a bridge, at a cost off an estimated multi -million dollars which will encroach upon a private landowner who does not want a bridge on his land nor blasting near his cabin.  Is blasting good for salmon? Bears? Eagles? Residents?  See Moose Pass resident Larry Werner’s testimonial page.

Alas, the politicians were unresponsive to the concerns of Moose Pass residents, and the way in which these things were pushed through, apparently defied much scrutiny. If that was not enough to withstand, in a small area, with bears, fish , eagles and residents the SOA DOT wants to “ improve the road” in Moose Pass because they have stated it needs improvements and has drainage issues.  The Moose Pass residents pushed back and some concessions were made; however, the historic store, owned by the Estes family will be destroyed, and the Wolf Pass Lodge with numerous hand hewn custom log cabins, the lodge, the tree house cabin , the streams and animals will be destroyed, this lodge had been written about  in the prior owners book

This private lodge has hosted numerous guests over many years contributing to the local economy upward  to a million dollars or more.   See Wolf Trail guests testimonials page.

The lodge sits on this stream with bears feeding in the open much like Bristol Bay only on a smaller scale, the wolves come by, the lodge and its cabins overlook the lake , mountains, train with unparalleled views, there is no place on the Kenal Peninsula like this and yet the Department of Transportation insists on taking the land, destroying the stream, blasting on the hill, all for a road that only really needs to be paved at a cost of $ 60 million dollars or more, and they also want a bike path.

Whether or not you care about fish or bears or are shocked our environmental agencies have their hands tied with’ =Memorandum of Understanding’s or Categorical Exceptions, which we will delve into in another section, the issue that everyone should be concerned about is private property being taken not because the government HAS TO but WANTS TO, and they want to spend your money to do so under the infrastructure bill which was intended to help crumbling highways, and although the section of road in question needs resurfacing there is no logical reason to widen it under the present premises.

It has been suggested by quite a few people this project is a way to get money into the State, and that under federal guidelines the DOT must widen the roads. Interestingly one cannot walk near the waters of the Kenai River but the powers that be gave a green light for a hydro plant, access road in the forest, public parking, widening of the road, blasting and taking property all along the head waters going back to the Kenai and other areas, this seems absurdly arbitrary and capricious. It is the quintessential NIMBY not in my back yard situation.

Kenai does not want anyone or anything destroying their fish but the fish. The hydro and this road along with the access road and possibly a bridge is just too many impacts for the people, wildlife and fish, it doesn’t take a biologist to know this is not going to have a great outcome except on those spending OPM, other people’s money.

As Alaskans, the issue of fish is a non partisan issue  almost everyone can agree fish bring in money, and is more important than a road that will destroy the character of Moose Pass, the Wolf Trail Lodge , a place that hosts numerous animals and fish , along with being historically significant and worth millions of dollars all for a bigger road, a bike path,  and a turn around. That is the very definition of a BOONDOGGLE.

The owner of this property was told by a DOT representative he should not have a business license this road was a done deal and if he did not like it that they would take it by Eminent Domain.  It is beyond hubris and quite ironic an agency that exists only due to our tax dollars can give orders to private property owners whose taxes pay for highway projects.

Other residents were told they have no choice, and not to register their salmon streams, all statements the DOT has denied making. So MOOSE PASS is being destroyed there is no huge Environmental Impact Study or other environmental controls for reasons we will explain later on but if you care about fish, bears, wolves, eagles, private property, Alaska  history, community or your  taxes, the Federal government cannot meet their debt obligations but they can infuse this little town with over  millions of dollars,  which the residents are not benefitting from only burdened,  because this road is being built with federal tax dollars as are the other projects funded by federal money as well then help us stop this project and also ask for more environmental scrutiny when it comes to our fish.