A VICTORY FOR BONANZA CHANNEL. A VICTORY FOR OUR PEOPLE. A VICTORY FOR OUR FUTURE.
After Years of Tribal Opposition, Federal Court Rules Against the Army Corps' Approval of IPOP's Proposed Gold Dredging Operation
November 4, 2026 | Protect Bonanza Channel
WE DID IT. TOGETHER.
After years of fighting to protect Bonanza Channel and Safety Sound from a destructive gold dredging proposal, we are celebrating a major legal victory!
On November 2, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska ruled in favor of five Alaska Native Tribes that challenged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' approval of IPOP LLC's proposed mining operation near Nome, Alaska.
The Court determined that the Army Corps acted arbitrarily and violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act when approving the project.
This is a tremendous victory for our communities, our subsistence way of life, and the future of one of the Bering Strait region's most important estuaries.
What We Were Fighting to Protect
Bonanza Channel and Safety Sound are more than beautiful landscapes. They are living ecosystems that support fish, migratory birds, marine mammals, and countless other species. They are traditional harvesting grounds, places of cultural importance, and a source of food and connection for generations of Alaska Native families.
The proposed IPOP mining operation threatened to disturb more than 150 acres of this sensitive estuary, involving the excavation and discharge of approximately 4.5 million cubic yards of material over five years.
The potential consequences were enormous.
For the Tribes and communities that depend on these waters, the risks were never simply environmental. They threatened food security, cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and the ability of future generations to continue living from the land and waters as their ancestors have done.
We refused to accept that these resources could be sacrificed without accountability.
Years of Opposition. Years of Determination.
The Village of Aŋuutaq, formerly the Village of Solomon, has been at the forefront of opposition to this proposal for years.
When the Army Corps' Alaska District denied the permit in 2022, our concerns had been recognized. But when that decision was reversed by the Corps' Pacific Division in 2024, our communities were once again forced to defend what should have been protected.
Rather than give up, five Tribal Nations joined together to challenge the decision:
Village of Aŋuutaq (formerly Village of Solomon)
King Island Native Community
Native Village of Council
Chinik Eskimo Community
Native Village of White Mountain
With legal representation from Earthjustice, our Tribes brought this fight into federal court.
And our voices were heard.
This Victory Belongs to Everyone Who Stood With Us
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to every individual, Tribal Nation, organization, and advocate who has supported the effort to Protect Bonanza Channel.
To the Tribal Councils and leadership who remained committed throughout this long process, thank you for standing strong.
To Earthjustice, thank you for your dedication, expertise, and tireless advocacy.
To the Bering Strait region's Tribal governments, village corporations, regional organizations, subsistence users, Elders, and community members who expressed opposition, submitted public comments, wrote letters, and spoke out: your voices helped carry this fight forward.
And to every individual who reached out with encouragement, offered support, shared our message, or reminded us that we were not alone: you helped make this victory possible.
Every voice mattered.
Every action mattered.
Every person who refused to remain silent mattered.
This effort has demonstrated what can happen when our communities stand together to protect the places that sustain us.
What Happens Next?
While we celebrate this significant ruling, the legal process is not yet finished.
The Court has requested additional information from the parties before determining the appropriate remedy. The future of the federal permit has not yet been resolved.
We will continue to follow the proceedings, share updates, and advocate for the long-term protection of Bonanza Channel and Safety Sound.
Our goal has never changed: to ensure these lands and waters remain healthy, productive, and accessible for generations to come.
Our Fight Is Not Over. Our Commitment Is Stronger Than Ever.
This ruling represents more than a legal milestone.
It is a reminder that Tribal voices matter. That traditional knowledge deserves respect. That environmental laws must be followed. And that communities have the right to challenge decisions that threaten their homelands.
We hope this victory encourages other communities facing similar threats to keep advocating, keep organizing, and never underestimate the power of standing together.
To everyone who has followed this journey, shared our concerns, and supported our efforts:
THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH BONANZA CHANNEL.
We celebrate this victory with gratitude, pride, and renewed determination.
Because some places are too important to lose.
Because our subsistence way of life is worth protecting.
Because future generations deserve the same opportunities to harvest, learn, and thrive that our ancestors passed down to us.
And because protecting Bonanza Channel has always been about protecting so much more than water.
Stay Informed. Stay Involved. Help Us Protect Bonanza Channel.
Our work continues, and so does our commitment to transparency, community involvement, and protection of this extraordinary estuary.
Follow our updates, share our story, and continue standing with the Tribes and communities working to protect Bonanza Channel.
Together, we made our voices heard. Together, we will continue protecting what matters.
Read the November 3, 2026 Earthjustice announcement
Protect Bonanza Channel — A community effort led by the Village of Aŋuutaq to protect our traditional lands, waters, wildlife, and subsistence resources.
Drone footage captured August 2024 by Tyler Bell
#Protect#Bonanza#Channel
Have you heard of the Bonanza Channel? Safety Sound? Solomon, Alaska? If you’ve traveled to Nome, Alaska located in the Bering Strait Region of Alaska or the Seward Peninsula, visited the end of the Iditarod, chances are you have heard of the Bonanza Channel. The ‘Last Train to Nowhere’ is a historical site located right at the Bonanza bridge, home of the estuary also known as the Bonanza Channel.
The drone footage on the left is all of the waterways connected within the Solomon Watershed and Bonanza Channel. Can you imagine how many species and various wildlife rely on all of that water? This is their habitat and really exemplifies the tourism aspect for bird watchers who travel from all over the world to view this sacred habitat.
This website is going to allow you to learn more about what the Bonanza Channel is, who it has a direct impact on, the significance of this environment and the identity of those that culturally connect with this area.
What are those sticks?!
Great question! Those are stakes for a mining project to discharge 4.5 MILLION CUBIC YARDS into that watershed. If you look above the orange tip of these stakes, you’ll see an incredible amount of swans enjoying the undisturbed channel. There were hundreds, they come every year. Photo taken September 2024
Who the heck wants to destroy this swan habitat? Hmmmm…… This is a LONG story. Get comfortable, I’ll explain it all.
First - you must understand the significance of this environment and who has a meaningful connection with this Channel.
Second, you’ll want to understand the timeline of events.
Third- you’ll be interested in understanding who it is that would like to take this estuary away, the health and scare away all those beautiful swans…..
Lastly, I believe you will be interested in understanding what YOU can do to help #Protect#Bonanza#Channel.