America's Most Endangered Rivers - (Page 12) Canning River ALASKA O N E T O WAT C H McCrystal Creek NEW MEXICO Flowing through Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Canning River, threatened by oil exploration and drilling, was listed in 2001 and 2002. For the Canning, energy development would have meant the pumping of millions of gallons of water, huge new gravel mines in its floodplain, and serious disturbance to fish, polar bears and other sensitive wildlife. So far, Congress has blocked several attempts by drilling proponents to open the refuge to oil and gas development. Yazoo River and Big Sunflower River MISSISSIPPI The threat of coalbed methane drilling put McCrystal Creek in the Valle Vidal region of New Mexico on the list in 2005. Shortly after the report’s release, the state of New Mexico took action to protect this pristine and beautiful stream from drilling and other harmful development by designating all the surface waters of the Valle Vidal as Outstanding Resource Waters. For almost 70 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been trying to push through a plan now estimated to cost $220 million to drain more than 200,000 acres (an area greater than all five boroughs of New York City) of wetlands in northwestern Mississippi to enhance production of subsidized crops. The threat of this enormously destructive “Yazoo Pumps” project landed the Yazoo River in the AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERSTM report in 1997, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the Big Sunflower River in the report in 1997. Fortunately, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun a Clean Water Act veto process to kill the proposal. When this boondoggle is buried for good, it will be a victory for fish and wildlife, natural flood protection, and common sense. MCCRYSTAL CREEK, NAMIET NYRASINE/FLICKR.COM San Mateo Creek CALIFORNIA A proposed toll road landed San Mateo Creek number two on the list in 2007. The 16-mile long road would have cut through the creek, causing significant damage to the watershed and to surfing at the world-famous Trestles Beach, whose reef depends on the creek for sand and cobbles. The voices of thousands of Californians helped convince the California Coastal Commission to deny the road proposal in February 2008. CANNING RIVER, AMERICAN RIVERS PHOTO LIBRARY 12 A M E R I C A’ S M O S T E N DA N G E R E D R I V E R S T M : SAN MATEO CREEK, SAVESANONOFRE.COM 2 0 0 8 E D I T I O N | W W W. A M E R I C A N R I V E R S . O R G BIG SUNFLOWER RIVER, LOUIE MILLER http://www.americanrivers.org
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