State of Alaska supports Pebble... (Metlakatla, Cantwell: unemployment rate, income, living in)

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by SityData

Its quite simple. Pebble mine wants to mine resources. Some people are opposed to it saying it will wipe out the fishing industry (if pollution sets in). EPA rules, restrictions etc.

The simple fact of the matter is - LOOK around the inside of your house. EVERYTHING- in your home came from the dirt (resources) of the earth.

Sure, everything comes from somewhere. But where and how it's done is what's important. Mining can be done responsibly in areas where the impact to the environment is minimal. Or it can be done in a destructive manner. Ever see some of the creeks in West Virginia that are essentially toxic waste now from mining? Ever hear of Love's Canal? Industrial activity has a real impact when done irresponsibly. Money can't buy health or the environment back.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Sure, everything comes from somewhere. But where and how it's done is what's important. Mining can be done responsibly in areas where the impact to the environment is minimal. Or it can be done in a destructive manner. Ever see some of the creeks in West Virginia that are essentially toxic waste now from mining? Ever hear of Love's Canal? Industrial activity has a real impact when done irresponsibly. Money can't buy health or the environment back.

Well your comparing apples to Oranges. The mines you're referring to were in fact toxic waste dumps from another era. Even in Alaska many of the streams and rivers were wasted, but recovered.

Today's mining is highly regulated and if they even thought about dumping toxic materials into the waterways they would be fined heavily and possibly jailed.

The Pebble folks haven't publish anything yet, but the anti-Pebble folks are doing their best to scare the Begees out of the average person by telling them what amounts to blatant lies and referring to mining practices from a century ago, they even try to minimize the Copper River mines when that area has fully recovered from the deeds of almost One hundred years past.

The best course of action is to wait to see what their plans are and then pick at the negatives of that instead of slandering something that hasn't been published yet.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Sure, everything comes from somewhere. But where and how it's done is what's important. Mining can be done responsibly in areas where the impact to the environment is minimal. Or it can be done in a destructive manner. Ever see some of the creeks in West Virginia that are essentially toxic waste now from mining? Ever hear of Love's Canal? Industrial activity has a real impact when done irresponsibly. Money can't buy health or the environment back.

But one thing about Alaska is that very strict mining as well as waste disposal rules apply, and these rules are stricter than the Federal Government rules relating to both industries.

Perhaps we have learned form the past, not only in relation to mining and oil drilling, but trapping, hunting, predator/prey management, and so forth.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

But one thing about Alaska is that very strict mining as well as waste disposal rules apply, and these rules are stricter than the Federal Government rules relating to both industries.

Perhaps we have learned form the past, not only in relation to mining and oil drilling, but trapping, hunting, predator/prey management, and so forth.

Not surprisingly, the biggest polluter in the State is the federal government, not the oil industry, mining, or any other private industry.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Not surprisingly, the biggest polluter in the State is the federal government, not the oil industry, mining, or any other private industry.

Yep, almost all the bases in Alaska, past and present are toxic waste dumps and are on the list for the Superfund for cleanup. In the 1950's Ft. Greely had a small nuclear plant that had a melt down, they covered it with a concrete pad. Explains the giant moose there eh?

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Yep, almost all the bases in Alaska, past and present are toxic waste dumps and are on the list for the Superfund for cleanup. In the 1950's Ft. Greely had a small nuclear plant that had a melt down, they covered it with a concrete pad. Explains the giant moose there eh?

Giant moose? You mean they are not suppose to be that big?

According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Spill Prevention & Response Division, Contaminated Sites database that reactor meltdown occurred in 1964 as a result of the "Good Friday" quake, and was not officially cleaned up until 1974. However, their database does show a mustard gas spill just south of Delta Junction during the 1950s.

Source: Contaminated Sites Database Search - Alaska (http://dec.alaska.gov/spar/csp/search/default.asp - broken link)

FYI: I am responsible for their database and application, but not its contents. I do Windows, but I do not do data.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Giant moose? You mean they are not suppose to be that big?

According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Spill Prevention & Response Division, Contaminated Sites database that reactor meltdown occurred in 1964 as a result of the "Good Friday" quake, and was not officially cleaned up until 1974. However, their database does show a mustard gas spill just south of Delta Junction during the 1950s.

Source: Contaminated Sites Database Search - Alaska (http://dec.alaska.gov/spar/csp/search/default.asp - broken link)

FYI: I am responsible for their database and application, but not its contents. I do Windows, but I do not do data.

One of the guys I use to work with was stationed at the Greely Power Plant in the late 50's when they had a small nuke plant there... I wonder if there was two spills?

I've never read any data on any of the radioactive spills, my only knowledge was he told me and over the years have heard that same story a number of times. Can you post any of the information?

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Well your comparing apples to Oranges. The mines you're referring to were in fact toxic waste dumps from another era. Even in Alaska many of the streams and rivers were wasted, but recovered.

Today's mining is highly regulated and if they even thought about dumping toxic materials into the waterways they would be fined heavily and possibly jailed.

The Pebble folks haven't publish anything yet, but the anti-Pebble folks are doing their best to scare the Begees out of the average person by telling them what amounts to blatant lies and referring to mining practices from a century ago, they even try to minimize the Copper River mines when that area has fully recovered from the deeds of almost One hundred years past.

The best course of action is to wait to see what their plans are and then pick at the negatives of that instead of slandering something that hasn't been published yet.

Yes, apples and oranges to a point, but it was more to illustrate a point that mining can't be given total freedom without severe consequences. Mining interests in some lower 48 states have corrupted state governments enough in some cases to continue creating disasters.

It is best to wait and see what the actual plans are, but there is a legitimate reason for people to be concerned about the impact.

I'm not entirely sure how long I've been reading about Pebble but I wish they'd hurry up and release their actual plans so things can be judged accurately.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I'm not entirely sure how long I've been reading about Pebble but I wish they'd hurry up and release their actual plans so things can be judged accurately.

That is what I'm waiting for...

[stiffnecked]

Really wondering if it's Alaskans or Washington state residents who benefit from the fishing jobs in Bristol Bay. Maybe it would be better to end commercial fishing in Bristol Bay and return it to a subsistence user only area.

[LEFT]Washington state Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell intends to enter the fray Monday. She plans to ask the head of the Environmental Protection Agency to consider using the Clean Water Act — if necessary — to stop the proposed Pebble Mine project on Bristol Bay


And she says the issue is particularly crucial to Washington state's economy, with Bristol Bay providing $113 million a year for its commercial fisheries.
"Nearly a thousand Washingtonians hold commercial fishing permits in Bristol Bay, supporting thousands more fishery jobs in my state," Cantwell says in the letter.


Read more: Lawmakers dueling over proposed Alaska gold mine | McClatchy

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