26
27
THE JOURNAL - AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION BY THE ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER 2025 | WWW.ALASKAMINERS.ORG
“foreigners” or “outsiders” doesn’t protect Alaska’s environment; it paralyzes our economy. Roads like West Susitna and Ambler are bridges to self-reliance, economic diversi- fication, and long-term prosperity. They ensure that the wealth beneath our feet serves Alaskans first, from Native corporations to the smallest road-system villages. “They want the benefits of modern life without accepting the responsi- bility to produce the materials that make it possible.” It’s time to reject that fear and return to a vision of Alaska rooted in courage, innovation, and indepen- dence. We must continue to safely develop and diversify our resources. Attend the hearings. Contact your legislators. Support AIDEA’s planning process. The future belongs to those who build it; and Alaskans have always known how to build. Kevin McCabe serves as Representative for District 30
Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which guarantees a transportation corridor across federal lands to reach the Ambler Mining District. This isn’t a discretionary permit, it is a Congressional mandate. The minerals at Ambler — copper, cobalt, zinc, and rare earths — are the same materials now imported from China and the Congo. Develop- ing them here would mean high-pay- ing jobs for Alaskans and responsible production under U.S. standards. The project could create over a thousand jobs, secure critical mineral supply chains, and strengthen energy securi- ty for decades to come. “Blocking infrastructure out of fear of ‘foreigners’ doesn’t protect Alaska; it robs us of opportunity.” And yet, the same groups that cam- paign against these projects promote renewable energy goals that depend on the very minerals they are trying to block. They demand wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles, while fighting the roads and
mines that supply copper, nickel, and rare earths. It’s a contradiction so large it could only survive in the echo chamber of modern activism. By forcing mining overseas, they export the environmental impact to countries with no EPA, no labor protections, and no transparency. That is not environmentalism, it is stunning hypocrisy. Foreign investment is not the enemy; it is a tool. It powers a quarter of U.S. manufacturing and supports over 90,000 Alaskan jobs through trade and industry. In mining, partners from allied nations like Canada and Australia bring capital and expertise, while U.S. subsidiaries ensure local hiring and compliance. Every project must meet the same standards under NEPA, the Clean Water Act, and the Corps of Engineers’ 404 permitting. No one gets a free pass. Of course we must protect our salmon, rivers, and lands. That is why these projects undergo years of review, public hearings, and oversight. But fearmongering about
Debunking the Foreign Ownership Myth
“ These infrastructure proj- ects aren’t about exporting Alaska’s wealth overseas, they’re about keeping Alaskans working … making sure our resources benefit those who live closest to them.” I’ve often challenged the tired narrative that Alaska’s resource development is somehow a gift to outsiders. Whether it’s the Ambler Road or access to our mineral basins in the Susitna, critics recycle the same script about “foreign giveaways” and “big mining companies.” That argument has no basis in fact. Infrastructure projects like the West Susitna Access Road and the Ambler Road are not about exporting Alaska’s wealth; they are about keeping Alaskans working, keeping our kids educated and here at home, and ensuring that our resources benefit the people who live closest to them. No matter how rich our resourc- es, without transportation they are worthless. You could have a mountain of copper, gold, or rare earths, but if you can’t get them to market, they stay locked in the dirt. I recently spoke about our mineral wealth remaining stranded without infrastructure. Roads and rails are the back- bone of development, whether it’s a high-tech highway or, as I’ve said, “a goat trail with donkeys hauling saddle-bags of gold dust.” “You could have a mountain of copper, gold, or rare earths, but if you can’t get them to market, they stay locked in the dirt.” The West Susitna Access Road, a proposed 100-mile route
From exploration to production, we have decades of experience serving the mining industry in all stages of operations. Streamline your camp services with NMS, an Alaska Native-owned company. RUNNING ALASKA’S REMOTE CAMPS SINCE 1974
across state land, would unlock mineral-rich areas west of the Susitna River while lowering costs for local goods, improving emergency access, and creating thousands of construction and operational jobs. AIDEA estimates that projects like these could generate more than $50 million annually in local revenue. These are the funds that support schools, roads, and village infrastructure. Yet groups like Cook Inletkeeper paint the road as an “industrial corridor … primarily for foreign mining leases.” The Susitna River Coalition echoes that rheto- ric, calling for a “free-flowing Susitna” while accepting funding from national (out of State) NGOs that campaign against almost every development project in the state. Save Our Salmon joins the chorus, ampli- fying the same alarmist slogans and selective half-truths. What they ignore are the tangible benefits to Alaskans: good jobs, cheaper freight, and better access for nearby communities. The Ambler Road faces the same kind of selective oppo- sition. Critics call it a gift to foreign companies, yet its authorization is a matter of federal law under Section 201(4) of the Alaska National Interest
Supporting our Communities Red Dog Operations continues to operate responsibly and safely to support our employees and regional communities during the pandemic.
Let’s Talk Bradley Berberich Strategic Account Manager 907.982.2533 Bradley.Berberich@nana.com
nmsusa.com
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker