closed mines often and unfairly connected to by those who oppose our industry in general. Comparing a mine constructed 80 years ago in the absence of these laws, and before the technological advances that have been made, paints a grossly inaccurate picture and neglects how the industry has continuously improved for eight decades. Which is a great segue to where we are today: Today, what do we do better than others? I would aPY_`]P_ZR`P^^_SL_YPL]WdSLWQZQXd^_Lʬ_TXPL_ AMA is spent educating policymakers and the public of Alaska’s world-class regulatory system and the oper- ating performance of our mines and projects. Today, Alaska’s mines are permitted to protect all aspects of Z`]PYaT]ZYXPY_%LT]WLYObL_P]ʭ^SLYObTWOWTQPLYO human health. We’ve also made great strides from a socioeconomic perspective. We tend to not think about it, but there was a time where it was a rarity to see women and other minorities working in mines across our country. Now, we don’t give it a second thought — and I think that’s a great thing. One only has to look at Page 57 of this publication to be reminded that all of Alaska’s major resource industry trade associations currently are run by women. It’s an honor to be a part of that group as well, and it gives me warm and fuzzies to hear our members brag about our associations. Indeed, during the past few decades, Alaska’s XTYTYRTYO`^_]dSL^[`_^TRYTʭNLY_TYaP^_XPY_TY_Z developing a workforce composed of Alaskans from every corner of the state. We’ve also seen the creation and completion of a taxation system that appropriately evaluates the industry economics and brings millions of dollars to local and state governments annually. We’re in a great place today. But miners have never been ones to rest on their laurels. Starting tomorrow, what can we do better? For ob- vious reasons, I’m not sure how the conversation went in 1939. But I can speculate that at that time, miners worked in the ways they knew how, and learned a little XZ]PPLNSOLdLMZ`_SZb_ZMPXZ]PPʯNTPY_SZb_Z go a step beyond to make an area safer or the environ- ment better, and how to be better neighbors. And we’ve never stopped striving to be better. Collectively, we’ve focused on continuously improving how we train and hire local Alaskans, striving for even more environ- mental excellence, building and improving infrastruc- ture, and so much more. Eighty years, and it just keeps getting better. And you better believe that is at the core of the mission of AMA. Thank you, Ǎ Executive Director’s Report
D ear Members and Friends of Alaska Miners: It is an honor to be at the helm of an or- ganization on its 80th birthday. Really, it’s a pretty sweet deal to celebrate 80 years of success re- ^`W_TYRQ]ZXPʬZ]_^4SLOWT__WP_ZOZbT_S;WLYYTYRQZ] and executing celebrations and acknowledgements has MPPYLWZ_ZQQ`YQZ]_SP^_LʬLYOXPLYOT_SL^MPPY enjoyable to pause for thought on our past, present and Q`_`]P4ɪXʭYOTYR_SL_TY_SP^PLYYTaP]^L]dOT^N`^ - sions, we seem to be circling around to the same few thought-provoking questions to provide the fullest cov- erage of Alaska’s mining industry from 1939 to today: From 80 years ago, how are we better? It is safe to say there is common knowledge that our industry has come a long way, technologically and socially, from our 1939 operating standard. We still hear phrases like “this is not your grandfather’s gold mine,” referring to a standard that was performed 80 years ago compared with the modern mining we know today. What is perhaps most important to observe over the 80-year timeline are the advent of our nation’s environmental laws, and the complement of Alaska’s statutes that were developed to ensure resource and community development are done safely and respon- sibly. The passage of the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, National Environmental Policy Act and more, are responsible for the dozens of permits large mines must have in hand to today develop a mineral deposit. It is these and other laws that govern the operations we have in 2019 that sit on a bar so high above the “legacy”
Deantha Crockett AMA Executive Director ctor
The Alaska Miner
July 2019
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