Eyak Preservation Council

Advocacy: Shepard Point

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) proposes to build a deep water port and oil spill response facility at Shepard Point which is situated in Cordova, Alaska, on the shore of Orca Inlet, adjacent to the Copper River Delta, and within the Chugach National Forest. The BIA proposes to contract with the Native Village of Eyak, Inc. to build the deep water port and oil spill response facility, plus a 4.5 mile road from Cordova to the Shepard Point site.

Although the stated purpose of the project is to improve oil spill response in the Cordova area of Prince William Sound, project records and statements by the Native Village of Eyak clearly indicate that the true motivation behind the Shepard Point project is the construction of a deep water port to facilitate extractive resource development in the region and confer economic benefits on the Native Village of Eyak, Inc. which vigorously lobbied the BIA to become the lead agency for the project.

We believe that the Shepard Point project is the keystone project that will facilitate a web of threats across the Copper River Delta and Chugach National Forest including industrial road building, logging, coal mining via mountain top removal, industrial--scale tourism, and residential development. The result of these threats will be irrevocable destruction of this pristine terrestrial and aquatic habitat, home to one of the world’s last and finest wild stock salmon, the Wild Copper River Salmon. Wild Copper River salmon are at the core of the Eyak Nation’s history, traditional society, culture and land. Today, Wild Copper River salmon are also the base of the Cordova economy directly generating an estimated $20 million annually. The Copper River Delta is also critical habitat for numerous other species of fish, birds and wildlife.

This project was originally proposed as a response to the 1989 ExxonValdez oil spill. It would be funded with approximately $10 million under the State’s 1992 civil settlement against Exxon, $3 million in BIA Indian Reservation Road funds, and $4.5 million in Federal-aid highway funds.

The Eyak Preservation Council, Trustees for Alaska, Cascadia Wildlands Project, and other national and local conservation organizations strongly support enhanced oil spill response in Prince William Sound. However, the Shepard Point Project as proposed would not improve spill response. It would be a misuse of public funds, and it would have far reaching adverse environmental consequences. We believe that there are other project alternatives that would do a much better job of improving oil spill response capabilities in Cordova. EPC, Cascadia, and other organizations are working to raise community awareness regarding the true scope of the BIA proposal, to advocate for the viable alternatives and to bring a lawsuit to stop the unlawful and inappropriate Shepard Point alternative from being constructed.

Eyak Preservation Council, Post Office Box 460, Cordova, AK 99574

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Home Advocacy Home	Advocacy: Shepard Point The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) proposes to build a deep water port and oil spill response facility at Shepard Point which is situated in Cordova, Alaska, on the shore of Orca Inlet, adjacent to the Copper River Delta, and within the Chugach National Forest. The BIA proposes to contract with the Native Village of Eyak, Inc. to build the deep water port and oil spill response facility, plus a 4.5 mile road from Cordova to the Shepard Point site. Although the stated purpose of the project is to improve oil spill response in the Cordova area of Prince William Sound, project records and statements by the Native Village of Eyak clearly indicate that the true motivation behind the Shepard Point project is the construction of a deep water port to facilitate extractive resource development in the region and confer economic benefits on the Native Village of Eyak, Inc. which vigorously lobbied the BIA to become the lead agency for the project. We believe that the Shepard Point project is the keystone project that will facilitate a web of threats across the Copper River Delta and Chugach National Forest including industrial road building, logging, coal mining via mountain top removal, industrial--scale tourism, and residential development. The result of these threats will be irrevocable destruction of this pristine terrestrial and aquatic habitat, home to one of the world’s last and finest wild stock salmon, the Wild Copper River Salmon. Wild Copper River salmon are at the core of the Eyak Nation’s history, traditional society, culture and land. Today, Wild Copper River salmon are also the base of the Cordova economy directly generating an estimated $20 million annually. The Copper River Delta is also critical habitat for numerous other species of fish, birds and wildlife. This project was originally proposed as a response to the 1989 ExxonValdez oil spill. It would be funded with approximately $10 million under the State’s 1992 civil settlement against Exxon, $3 million in BIA Indian Reservation Road funds, and $4.5 million in Federal-aid highway funds. The Eyak Preservation Council, Trustees for Alaska, Cascadia Wildlands Project, and other national and local conservation organizations strongly support enhanced oil spill response in Prince William Sound. However, the Shepard Point Project as proposed would not improve spill response. It would be a misuse of public funds, and it would have far reaching adverse environmental consequences. We believe that there are other project alternatives that would do a much better job of improving oil spill response capabilities in Cordova. EPC, Cascadia, and other organizations are working to raise community awareness regarding the true scope of the BIA proposal, to advocate for the viable alternatives and to bring a lawsuit to stop the unlawful and inappropriate Shepard Point alternative from being constructed. Top of Page
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