ministration ensure the economy remains strong? Dunleavy: There hasn’t really been any change in my strategy. We have X amount of revenue and have to build around that. I’m submitting a sponsored change to the bud- get in early February and nothing has changed. We have got to get this fixed or risk being an unstable economy. And risk opportunities for investment here. We’ve got to get the word out (to international investors) that we are open for business. We should never have been closed for business. I want the world to understand the tremendous opportunity here, the number of rare earths finds and minerals. He referenced the pending Graphite One proj- ect near Nome and the Niblack project on Prince of Wales Island as examples of key potential mines that could be developed. These finds, these plays are going to produce a lot of good paying jobs, in places where there are not a lot of jobs. Q: With cost cutting necessary, will departments like DNR which generate revenue, in industries like mining, also expect cuts? Dunleavy: I would hope not, but I have to say that we got an incredible structural imbalance of $1.6 billion. Those departments that are generating revenues for the state are areas that we need to take a hard look at, based on the fees and revenue they’re gen- erating. We’re not going to destroy something that is working, but we have got to get the budget under control, so we are dealing with reality instead of dreams. This year we’ve exhausted almost all our savings, so this is the year for it to be fixed. Q: What would you say to reassure environmental concerns that Alaska resource development will contin - ue at the highest environmental standards in the world? Dunleavy: Development opponents need to stop deceiving people and trying to scare them. We have had development in this state for many years. We had a huge copper mine at Kennecott that used a railroad to get its ore to tidewater. And there’s no doubt that some copper from that train spilled into the Copper River, yet it has some of the best king salmon runs in the world. And today we have much better regulations. It is not logical to a build a mine that will destroy habi- tat. That doesn’t make sense. But it flies in the face of the fact that we can develop well, use the best science and some of the most stringent regulations in the world. A mine does not equal destruction.
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Q: Previous governors have expressed opinions op- posed to specific mining projects in Alaska—do you envision your administration weighing in on specific projects? Dunleavy: No. Every project is going to have op- portunity to come into development once it goes through study process and that includes providing the benefits that it is purported to do. And to prove it won’t have an adverse impact on the environ- ment. Of course, we are talking about Pebble. I believe it should be allowed to go through the process. And if it is viable, should go forward. Q: Relative to resource development, what do you take as your direction from voters, who both strongly supported you and defeated Ballot Measure One? Dunleavy: That just means that my view of re- source development is in line with the majority of Alaskans. Q: What are your expectations for support from the Washington delegation and Trump administration for Alaska mining? Dunleavy: My interactions with President Trump have been positive. He intends to create more jobs in this country and the current bull market is un- precedented and supporting that. He’s continues to want to make America stronger, by producing more in America. It’s the same with Alaska and I’ve got the same vision for Alaska that he has for the country, to create wealth. He and I see eye to eye. Q: You’ve mentioned often your pride at your fam - ily’s connection with mining—What have you learned from your three daughters working at Red Dog Mine? Dunleavy: I was just up there about two weeks ago, at Red Dog. I’d been there before, and one of the wonderful things you see is perhaps 60 per- cent of the workers are local hires working there. Native folks who never before had an opportunity for a living wage job, to provide a home, feed their family, buy toys for their kids, have good health care. The benefits are just phenomenal. When you go through the process and how the mine works, from crushers and grinders to flota - tion, it’s a fascinating experience. And when you are there, you realize they are very safety and envi- ronmentally conscious. Q: Given that budget cuts would mean less money flowing through Alaska’s economy, how will your ad -
The Alaska Miner
January 2019
22
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