On the western shore of Cook Inlet | Tikahtnu, guarded by Mt. Illiamna and Redoubt, lies one of Alaska’s most ecologically rich regions. In and around Lake Clark National Park, tidal zones protect some of the last healthy razor clam beds in Cook Inlet. The surrounding shores, wetlands, and forests support 187 bird species and more than 550 plant...
The waters, wildlife, and communities of Cook Inlet | Tikahtnu stand at a crossroads. Over the next seven years, Lower Cook Inlet faces twelve separate offshore oil and gas lease sales—a relentless series of industrial expansions that could permanently transform one of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant regions in the state....
**PRESS RELEASE** HOMER, AK — Cook Inletkeeper condemns the federal government’s draft 11th Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 5-year plan, which proposes five new oil and gas lease sales in Lower Cook Inlet between 2027 and 2031. The plan proposes oil and gas lease sales across the U.S. Pacific coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and opens every region of...
The Myth and the Reality of Modern Gold Mining in Alaska As new gold projects rise in the Cook Inlet | Tikahtnu watershed, we have to ask: Is it really worth it? Gold still glitters in today’s economy — not just in jewelry or bank vaults, but in the circuitry of our phones and computers. According to the World Gold Council, the average smartphone...
In the early 1990s, while Alaska and the world were still reeling from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, federal regulators discovered something shocking in Cook Inlet: oil and gas corporations had committed more than 4,200 violations of the Clean Water Act. Rather than face crushing penalties in court, oil companies agreed to a settlement that...
Thanks to your support, Inletkeeper will be launching a new science project on the Little Susitna River in summer 2026. The Little Susitna has been identified by regional partners as a top priority watershed for managing salmon habitats and as one of the most productive salmon fisheries in the Mat-Su region. The Little Susitna supports Chinook...
Every spring, millions of birds sweep northward across Alaska’s skies, tracing ancient routes to their Arctic nesting grounds. Along the way, they rely on a handful of critical stopovers—shelterd places rich in food where they can rest and refuel. Lake Clark National Park and its neighbor, Tuxedni Bay, are two of the most important of these pit...
In 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved Lease Sale 258 without fully considering cumulative impacts to Cook Inlet Belugas, the impact of vessel noise, and alternatives for a reduced sale and meaningful reduction of overall impacts to Cook Inlet’s fragile ecosystem. Inletkeeper, alongside community and national partners,...
In Cook Inlet’s quieter bays, lucky onlookers occasionally spot a small squadron of white crests break the surface, their breath forming plumes of steam in the air. If your boat engine is off, sometimes you can even hear their songs through the hull—a multifaceted collection of whistles, clicks, moos and chirps so complex that they've earned...
This month Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced Administrative Order 360 — a reckless and ill-conceived attempt to gut oversight of natural resources, by automatically approving projects if the state misses review deadlines. What does this mean for Alaskans? Removal of expert opinions on any project the Governor wants fast-tracked. An open season for...
