The state says the ecosystem in Hawk Inlet is healthy, eating traditional foods from there doesn’t pose an increased health risk and indications of high metal levels isn’t linked with the Greens Creek mine.
Recommendations and information were in the state’s 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’s protection. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation sent the letter to Angoon Mayor Albert Howard Tuesday morning.
“Based 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,” said Allan Nakanishi, an engineer with the DEC. He works in the mining section’s wastewater discharge authorization program and oversees Greens Creek mine, which is run by Hecla Mining Company.
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.
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.
“It appears to be metals reflected of the environment,” Nakanishi said. “Hawk 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.”
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 “appear to be within expected ranges of variability.”
The state also said Angoon residents can safely consume seaweed and shellfish, such as clams, crab, shrimp and mussels, found near Hawk Inlet.
“If I lived in Angoon, I’d consume these foods,” said Ali Hamade, environmental public health program manager for the Department of Health and Social Services.
“We 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,” Hamade said.
Hamade did warn that the high levels of mercury and other metals found in the seal’s liver wouldn’t 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.
“We don’t 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’s really tough because seals move around. They’re not just in one location like shellfish or a resident fish,” Hamade said.
The seal tested by the Friends of Admiralty Island was an older adult male, which Hamade said will naturally have higher concentration of metals. “As a general rule of thumb, younger animals will have lower concentration of contaminants. If you want to consume seal, if it’s a younger seal, chances are you will get a lower amount of contaminants,” he said.
Ideally, Hamade would like to see more sampling and more testing.
Angoon Mayor Albert Howard agreed. When reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, he hadn’t read the state’s entire response, but said he doesn’t agree that Hawk Inlet’s ecosystem is healthy and he’s still concerned about the risks associated with eating traditional foods from there.
“We’re 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’t think anyone there does or wants to,” Howard said.
He said he wants the state to test the village’s food.
“I think they need to understand the health and well-being of Angoon is my responsibility as a leader and that’s all I’m asking — (for) them to ensure that everyone is going to be OK and that our food is OK,” Howard said.
K.J. Metcalf of Friends of Admiralty Island said more information is needed to make conclusions regarding the mine’s 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.
• Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.
