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VAN KIRK TO BE PUBLISHED
Dr. Rob Van Kirk and Sheryl Hill, of Idaho State University have had their research on the effects of selenium poisoning on populations of cutthroat trout accepted for publication in "The International Journal on Ecological Modeling and Systems Ecology.(pdf)" This demonstrates the level of scientific review that went into Dr. Van Kirk's research, and also helps reinforce the scientific conclusions. The accepted version also cites much more literature, including some brand new papers on selenium toxicity in fish. The study indicates that we can expect to see significant declines in trout numbers in streams with high concentrations of selenium from phosphate mines.
PARTNERSHIP PRESS
The announcement of the formation of the Caribou Clean Water Partnership received some good press coverage. It was front page news in the Star Valley Independent as well as the Caribou County Sun. These are both papers that run in the mining towns. Partnership efforts also received a "cheers" from the editors of the Idaho Falls Post Register.
WEB UPDATES
If you haven't been to the partnership's website recently make sure you go back to see some new updates. During March we uploaded a new interactive animation of Dr. Van Kirk's study (visit here, and click on "Library") as well as new ideas on how you can help this effort. The welcome intro got a subtle update and there is also a new volume of the popular "Phosfate" comic. We have had over 2000 total hits to the website so far from Alaska to New York.
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MEMBER VIEWS
"I recently saw the story on Dr. Robert Van Kirk's research that predicts dire consequences to the Yellowstone cutthroat trout from selenium poisoning released by abandoned phosphate mines. How can the governmental agencies mandate to protect our health and safety continue to allow the phosphate mining industry free rein to move from site to site without any culpability for the contamination they leave behind? As Van Kirk documented, the most obvious result of the industry's irresponsibility is now being seen in the poisoning of this native species.
Instead of acknowledging the very real threat to the cutthroat trout and accepting their role in the contamination, one of the companies attempted to minimize the problem by blaming the messenger for exposing the problem. How much rhetoric and how much gloss do we have to hear before the mining industry is finally required to clean up the toxic mess they have created while exploiting a public resource? In Alaska, the residents receive a dividend, but in Idaho, we get "No Trespassing" signs, open and eroding pits and new roads punched through pristine forests to explore for the next pit. And now I get to worry whether the trout I just caught in the upper Blackfoot River is safe to feed my family.
Let's not overlook that the phosphate mining industry has also moved into the upper reaches of the Salt River -- one of the main tributaries of the South Fork of the Snake River!"
Dr. Steve Stephens, Idaho Falls
Printed in the Post Register 3/20/07 |
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, 150 K) of the CCWP newsletter
