Inletkeeper Blog

Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride – Letting Go to Look Forward
A beloved springtime staple for the Kenai Peninsula fat bike and beach running community is coming to a close. Kaitlin Vadla, Cook Inletkeeper Regional Director and race creator, says, “In order to make room for greater focus on implementing in-river salmon habitat solutions, we have made the difficult decision to end Cook Inletkeeper’s Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride.”

Inletkeeper Kicks off New Solution Focused on Salmon Habitat
After five years of implementing local solutions, Inletkeeper’s newest community-led project will focus on improving salmon habitat on the Central Peninsula. Inletkeeper is inviting the public to come together on February 10th with local experts to brainstorm salmon habitat solutions and then choose the best one for volunteers to implement alongside Inletkeeper in the Central Peninsula.

Sunsetting the Alaska Food Hub Program
Since its launch, the Alaska Food Hub has been about more than food—it’s been about people and community. Together, we’ve shared the joy of discovering seasonal produce, supporting local farmers, and building a resilient local food system.

The Missed Milestone for Homer Electric Association
2025 may be a different kind of historical milestone: the year we’re forced to rely on an interruptible gas supply. At the end of March, the one-year ENSTAR contract that’s currently meeting HEA’s needs will expire. Under the follow-up ENSTAR contract that’s now in front of state regulators, ENSTAR would not face contractual penalties if it fails to deliver the gas HEA needs in 2025.

Proposed Johnson Tract Gold Mine Threatens Endangered Belugas and Would Industrialize Tuxedni Bay
The proposed Johnson Tract Mine, a non-critical gold mine proposed within Lake Clark National Park, would industrialize the west side of Cook Inlet. The effects of this industrialization would ripple out and threaten the only known winter foraging habitat of the critically endangered Cook Inlet Beluga whale, the last stronghold of Cook Inlet’s razor back clam beds still accessed for subsistence each year, and intact habitat for salmon, bears and birds which are the bedrock of the thriving eco-tourism economy in the region.

The Year Ahead: Defending Alaska’s Future Under a New Administration
While some may rally behind slogans like “Drill, baby, drill,” the facts tell a different story: more than 6,000 approved permits for fossil fuel extraction on federal lands remain idle. The push for further deregulation isn’t about necessity—it’s about corporate greed at the expense of Alaskans’ future.

NEW Freshwater Temperature Action Plan
The new Action Plan identifies the highest priority actions for the next 10 years that will lead to greater protection of Alaska’s fish and wild salmon habitat from the impacts of thermal change. The keys to success will be continued collaboration and coordination among data collectors and to engage resource managers, who need to understand changing thermal patterns and the implications for freshwater resources to address our fisheries crisis.

Fast Tracking Johnson Tract
The Department of Interior and National Park Service canceled a public comment period on their draft resource analysis assessing a proposed easement for the haul road and port facility. The mine would use this infrastructure to transport ore through Lake Clark National Park & Preserve to Tuxedni Bay, where a deep water port would be constructed and the ore shipped out for processing. The blatant lack of public process, though legal in this particular case, is a clear indicator of what’s to come: an insider game of strong-arming to pressure regulators into rubber stamp permits as quickly as possible.

A Taste of Togetherness: The Power of Community in Local Food Systems
Because of Inletkeeper’s support and dedication to the Alaska Food Hub these past nine years we have been able to advocate for a more equitable future and to participate in opportunities that allow transformation. As we reflect on the success and growth of the Alaska Food Hub these past nine years, it’s clear that Alaska’s local food journey is just beginning and we are grateful to have played a small part.

Logging Progress as Thermal Change Continues
Inletkeeper developed a statewide Stream Temperature Action Plan 12 years ago. Now it’s time for a progress report to capture what has been achieved collectively around the state in our efforts to foster greater protection of Alaska’s wild salmon habitat as thermal change continues.