absolutely desperate areas of our state. What does such a project look like? As recently reported by KTOO news, the Donlin Gold project is currently busi- er renovating a century old church in Chuathbaluk than building a mine because caring for their neighbor is L STRS []TZ]T_d 0]TN 8Z] - gan Sr., sub deacon of the Russian Orthodox church said, “we can’t express our thanks (to Donlin) …like thanks from the heart from the whole village.” Don- lin spokesperson Kristina Woolston simply stated, “it was the right thing to do.” Friends, this is generous, peaceful and life-renewing service in cooperation with the community. Alaska’s mining industry employs Alaskans, whose concerns and burdens for the environment and a better life are the same as our own. Our mining industry routine- ly works with their neigh- MZ]^_ZSPW[LWWPaTL_P^`ʬP] - ing and improve the lives of their region. I think it is fair to say most Alaskans want a well-reg- ulated mining industry to ʮZ`]T^S TY Z`] ^_L_P LYO desire to encourage more of this type of investment. But it will be necessary to stop the polarization and divi- siveness that comes from caustic rhetoric, inaccurate information, and a false di- chotomy that says its either mining jobs and infrastruc- ture or protection of the en- vironment. Our modern-day mines in Alaska have repeat- edly shown that both needs can be well accommodated. The future of our state de- [PYO^ZY_SPPʬZ]_ZQX`W -
tiple industries and entrepreneurs working together to move us for- ward into a more secure future. 0aP]d ^`NNP^^Q`W XTYP T^ LY exciting story of new life being breathed into Alaska. We need more of these stories today. This commentary is dedicated to the memory of my friend, the late Alaska Sen. Chris Birch, a mining engineer and a strong champion of responsible natural resource de- velopment.
Rep. Chuck Kopp is the Alaska State House Representative for District 24 in South Anchorage, which en- compasses the neighborhoods of Bayshore, Klatt, Southport, Old Seward and Oceanview. Rep. Kopp was born and raised in Alaska, is a ]P_T]PONL]PP],WL^VL[ZWTNPZʯNP] having served as the Chief of Po- lice in Kenai from 2002 to 2008, a small-business owner, and is a life- WZYRNZXXP]NTLWʭ^SP]XLYTY-]T^_ZW Bay.
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Changing the way business is done in Alaska
October 2019
The Alaska Miner
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