Almost all of Alaska's south coast is roadless, and we like it that way. That is why the Cascadia Wildlands Project is leading the fight against ridiculous "road to nowhere" schemes.
No single action is more damaging to a wild place than to build a road on it. We know from experience that a road can turn "nowhere" into a big mess.
There's always a huge crop of road projects in Alaska, but our top priority right now is the Shepard Point road and port project—a bogus "oil spill response facility" that would use public funds to build a resource extraction port for private corporations near the Copper River. Strangely, Bureau of Indian Affairs is the lead agency pushing this 4.5-mile proposed road proposed from Cordova, along the coast of Orca Inlet to private land at Shepard Point, in Prince William Sound.
Ostensibly the purpose is to build an oil spill response facility. But, the "oil spill facility" looks suspiciously identical to the privately-owned deepwater port long sought by Chugach Alaska Corp. to export their timber and coal resources from the Copper River Delta, and to host big cruise ships. No oil spill agencies are involved in the project, and those that have evaluated it refuse to endorse it. If built at the proposed location, the spill response facility would actually slow down response to an oil spill by adding distance between responders and sensitive areas.
Also, the road and port site are exposed to a gauntlet of avalanche chutes. The facility would be closed for extended periods, making it a uniquely terrible spot to rely on in an emergency. Avalanches also pose an extreme public safety hazard.
The project is classic Alaskan pork. Upward of $30 million, all public money, would be expended for benefit of a few corporate executives. Construction and maintenance contracts are the real goal. And, the greater the waste of public money, the greater the "profit" by those who get the contracts.
The solution is simple and doable: build the facility at one of the three alternative locations. Our preferred location is the existing Ocean Dock. This location doesn't require a road. It would be affordable, be best for oil spill response, and have far less environmental impact.
Unfortunately, the Bureau of Indian Affairs still indicates the wasteful, dangerous, pointless road remains their preferred alternative. The Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency, however, are not likely to give permits for the reason there are less damaging alternatives. A decision from BIA is expected any time. The CWP, along with a broad coalition of local allies, stands ready to do everything we can to stop this road to nowhere, before it gets there.
Be sure to visit our Alaska field office blog for recent developments in our conservation work and photos that showcase the Last Frontier..
Documents of interest:
1. Cordova District Fishermen's Union resolution opposing the Shepard Point road alternative
