Alaska’s mining industry breathes life into communities A lot of news lately has focused on the very real concerns we have about our future here in Alaska. Lack of public safety, job
cally needed infrastructure and high paying jobs that are breathing new life into rural communities long deprived of hope to improve their economic condition. It has been said that labor rids us of three great
opportunities, education funding, and a weak economy all present challenges that are bring-
ing people together in unprecedented ways to realize a more secure future for our state. 1Z]_SPʭ]^__TXP^TYNP^_L_PSZZO we are seeing year over year declines in our population as working age adults and their families leave Alas- ka in search of work, taking their expertise with them. The Anchorage 0NZYZXTN /PaPWZ[XPY_ .Z][Z]L_TZY reports a loss of 900 jobs just in An- chorage in 2018, and projects another 700 in 2019, and 1,000 in 2020. The statewide job loss numbers are much bleaker.
evils — idleness, vice, and pover- ty. Strong and vibrant communities, healthy families, and good mining in- dustry jobs are all inextricably linked together, opening paths to freedom, opportunity and a thriving self-suf- ʭNTPYNd ?SP ZYWd WZ^P] T^ ^`TNTOP crime and substance abuse. It’s important to remember the abundance of our natural resources and our commitment to market them was key to our gaining statehood 60 years ago. Congress feared that Alas- ka would be unable to raise enough
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taxes due to its small population and end up as LbPWQL]P^_L_P?SP_TOPʭYLWWdMPRLY_Z_`]YTY favor of statehood with the discovery of gold and other natural resources. We were able to prove we could “pay our own way” and that our value to the @YTZYbL^^TRYTʭNLY_ Alaska has been a natural resource extraction state for well over 150 years with the mining in- dustry as the bedrock of our economy for nearly a NPY_`]d8Z^_ZQZ`][Z[`WL_TZYNPY_P]^Q]ZX5` - neau to Fairbanks to Nome were founded by min- ers. Oil and gas are a relative newcomer, and while the energy sector has a bright future, so does our mining industry. And today more than ever, Alas- ka needs this industry to realize its potential to help stabilize our economy, strengthen our com- munities and move Alaska forward into a more secure and prosperous future. The simple truth is, we are no less desperate to- day for the hope, opportunity and economic free- dom brought to us by the mining industry than we were 150 years ago. If a development project is awarded a permit because it has incorporated ^TRYTʭNLY_ [`MWTN TY[`_ LYO XP_ _SP YPNP^^L]d LYO^_]TYRPY_[P]XT_[]ZNP^^]P\`T]PXPY_^_SPY we should enthusiastically welcome the jobs, eco- YZXTN Q]PPOZX LYO QLXTWd ^_LMTWT_d _SL_ ʮZb^ from a well-developed, well-planned, communi- ty supported project that breathes new life into
This situation underscores the importance of taking seriously every opportunity to turn this around. A recent announcement of a major oil producer leaving Alaska is a poignant reminder of how critical it is for us to have a stable investment climate, and that the oil and gas sector alone can no longer carry the freight for us. More diversity to our revenue stream is needed, and we do not have the luxury we once had to dismiss viable prospects right in front of us. The economic strain has a direct nexus to our public safety crisis in rural Alaska. The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica special report “Law- less” is an astounding observation of just how many of our rural communities are desperate for public safety and other resources necessary to thrive. Numerous cash poor villages and towns are in terrible predicaments without any public safety presence and few options. Is there any good news? Yes. Alaska’s mining industry. It continues to weather severe, and of- ten unwarranted criticism, while providing al- most 15,000 jobs in communities around our ^_L_P5`^_^Tc[]ZO`NTYRXTYP^_bZOPaPWZ[XPY_ projects, and several advanced exploration proj- ects are each the single largest property taxpayers in their regions, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into local economies and providing criti-
The Alaska Miner
October 2019
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