Susitna River Coalition On Road Construction Impact On Watershed: “Susitna Is At Real Risk”

When American Rivers recently named Southcentral Alaska’s Susitna River one of the nation’s top 10 most endangered rivers, it’s mostly a byproduct of a proposed access road through the region to connect the highway system with mining projects. Opposition to the West Susitna Access Road has been vocal as Governor Mike Dunleavy and others have been proponents of the road’s construction.

Here’s the Susitna River Coalition with some perspective:

West Su Road Threatens Hundreds of Waterways, Prompting Nationally Endangered River Designation

Talkeetna, Alaska — On the eve of Earth Day, American Rivers named the Susitna River one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2025, citing the proposed West Susitna Access Road, intended primarily to serve mining and other industrial interests, as a serious threat to the river’s health and the ecosystems it sustains.

The Susitna River Coalition (SRC), a community-based organization committed to protecting the Susitna watershed, is raising concerns about the use of public funds and expedited permitting for a project that could cause permanent harm to the region’s fish, wildlife, and people.

“No one wants to see their home river on this list, but the Susitna is at real risk,” said Melis Coady, Executive Director of the Susitna River Coalition. “This project threatens a place Alaskans love, using public dollars for private gain. If state and federal money is on the table, the public deserves a voice.”

The proposed West Susitna Access Road, a project split between the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, would cut more than 100 miles through intact wetlands, salmon streams, and public lands to access speculative mining claims in the remote western Susitna Basin. The road would cross over 180 water bodies and fragment critical habitat for fish and wildlife, including moose, bears, migratory birds, and all five species of Pacific salmon .

“The Susitna is one of the last large, wild salmon-producing rivers in the U.S.,” added Coady. “Earth Day is a reminder that stewardship, not shortcuts, should guide decisions that impact our shared public lands and waters.”

The project lacks a clear public mandate. Alaskans have repeatedly voiced strong opposition through formal public comments at borough, state, and federal levels. The Susitna River supports vibrant economies built on commercial and subsistence fishing, tourism, and recreation. It is a cultural and ecological cornerstone for the Dena’ina and Ahtna peoples and one of the most cherished river systems in the state.

PO Box 320, Talkeetna, AK 99676 www.susitnarivercoalition.org (907)-733-5400

This Earth Day, SRC is calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to uphold rigorous environmental review and transparent public processes. Protecting the Susitna means listening to communities, following the science, and honoring the wild places that define Alaska.