The Alaska Energy Authority has criticized the plans, as the low population, long distances, and rugged terrain would make a region-wide power grid uneconomical. The Southeast Mid-Region Access Project, first proposed in 1978, would create a road connection from southeast Alaska to the Cassiar Highway, enabling ore and timber to be exported from the interior via Alaskan ports. One of the proposed alternatives would construct a road along the lower Stikine and Iskut Rivers – currently a roadless wilderness area – with either a ferry terminal or bridges connecting to Wrangell and Petersburg. The completion of the road is also seen as an opportunity to complete the Alaska–BC Intertie, as the Forrest Kerr hydro plant is less than from the Alaska border. Both the BC and Alaska governments have strongly supported the project, while other port cities such as BC, which would see economic competition from Alaskan shipping, have opposed it. The road project faces environmental challenges as well, as the Stikine River route would pass through the Stikine-LeConte Wilderness. See also List of rivers of Alaska List of rivers of British Columbia Steamboats of the Stikine River References Works cited External links Terraserver: Stikine River Delta Stikine: The Great River National Geographic: Canada's Stikine River Valley Stikine River Provincial Park Rivers of Alaska Rivers of the Boundary Ranges Stikine Country Rivers of Wrangell, Alaska International rivers of North America Tlingit Rivers of British Columbia