Proposed Gold Mine on Johnson Tract Stirs Debate in Alaska

The Johnson Tract, a roughly 21,000-acre parcel encircled by Lake Clark National Park, was transferred to Alaska Native-owned Cook Inlet Region Inc. in the 1970s as part of a land-exchange agreement. Mining company Contango Silver & Gold now holds a lease from Cook Inlet Region and intends to develop a gold mine on the mineral-rich site. Opponents filed a lawsuit in 2024 against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, alleging that the agency’s permit for the project violates the Clean Water Act by failing to protect endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales and to assess risks of acid-mine drainage to the Johnson River. The Center for Biological Diversity, a plaintiff, issued a May 2025 press release detailing those concerns. The Corps declined to comment, referring inquiries to the Justice Department.

The Independent

• Contango Silver & Gold – CEO Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse asserts the company “is not ruining a park” and emphasizes that ore will be shipped to an existing mill rather than processed on-site, which he says will limit the environmental footprint.

The Independent

• Local Tribes – Greg Encelewski, president of the Ninilchik Traditional Council, highlights the mine’s potential to provide an “economic engine” for tribal self-sufficiency.

The Independent

• Environmental and Community Opponents – Residents such as Joanne Edney-Coray, operator of the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, warn that mining trucks could disrupt brown bear cubs and their nursing behavior. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Chickaloon Tribal Council argue the project threatens beluga whales and could introduce contaminants into the Johnson River.

The Independent

The Army Corps of Engineers has offered no comment on the litigation, directing questions to the Justice Department. Contango is conducting a baseline wildlife survey that includes monitoring beluga movements, according to reporting in The Journal. Local business owners have expressed concern that ore transport through the park could deter tourists seeking bear sightings.

The Independent

Supporters contend the mine would generate jobs and revenue for Alaska Native communities, while critics stress possible harm to iconic wildlife—beluga whales, brown bears, and the broader park ecosystem. The dispute centers on whether mitigation measures, such as off-site ore processing and wildlife monitoring, can sufficiently offset environmental risks.

The Independent

• “Over many, many years, they started bringing their cubs into the yard, and then they started nursing in front of us,” — Joanne Edney-Coray — Joanne Edney-Coray, operator of the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge.

The Independent