Summer 2014 News and Views from EPC

Love Those Copper River Salmon

The Copper River Sockeye salmon fishery has been wildly successful: as of this writing the commercial harvest has delivered 1.9 million sockeye salmon. The Chinook King salmon return has been very low - only 9,500 have been harvested. Much research from all quarters is trying to find out why...More to come on this in the near future.

The Cordova Oil Spill Response facility...to be or not to be, and where?

The US Army Corps of Engineers held a public meeting in Cordova on June 18 about the proposed Shepard Point Road and Deep water Port facility as a location for Cordova's oil spill response facility. For those familiar with this project, and EPC's long standing part in holding off the project, the meeting presented an opportunity to continue with a horrendously tedious financially-motivated argument. Here is a report of the meeting. This proposed project argument has been going on for over 16 years. There is a good history online.

Bering River Watershed Conservation - Bering Coal UPDATE

EPC has been continuing to send regional letters to Secretary Vilsack's office directly, supporting this "investment in forever" wild salmon conservation opportunity. And, we have received a new letter from Jane Goodall supporting this "Keep Coal in the Ground" opportunity. Wow! EPC has had productive meetings with the U.S. Forest Service and regional groups about this salmon-habitat saving opportunity. Needed now is support and donations for the private funding component to secure this "Keep it in the Ground" precedent-setting sub-surface coal retirement option. Get involved!!

Upcoming Summer Events:

• Staff members Carol and Emily are attending the 2014 Gwich'in Gathering "Together Towards Tomorrow" in Old Crow, Yukon from July 21 - 25.
• Eyak Culture Camp - August 1 - 3 Join us for the 3rd Annual Culture Camp in Cordova! This year's camp will include a free and open to the public language workshop! Exciting news: The EPC Eyak language and Revitalization Project has launched the Eyak eLearning program.
• Wild & Scenic Film Festival - Friday, August 22nd at the Cordova Jr./Sr. High School Gym. A night of exciting new films from around the world. Silent Auction, Music, Local artists and more!

EPC Happenings:

• "Dune-caught" Wild Copper River Sockeye Salmon still available! Fresh fillets & smoked jarred salmon. Email eyak@redzone.org or call our office 907-424-5890 for more information.
• EPC welcomes new Board Members Rion Schmidt & Bryce Tugwell! See Our Team Page
• Our Education & Awareness program is in full hosting swing with lots of visitors already this summer! Our Smoke Experience hosted sustainable foods proponent Chef Kira and Georgina Silby; the Eyak Lake Home has hosted Great Land Trust's Phil Shephard and his family, organic juicing instructor Arthur Ramirez, Tribal Lands attorney Darcie Houck and Ashoka Fellow Brenda Eheart. Next week EPC will host the headline bands, Akasha and Beer Money, for Cordova's own music festival - Salmon Jam!
• Get in touch and get involved with our Wild Salmon and Habitat preservation work.

AwA'ahdah