A Message from the Executive Director
Dear Members, As you will see throughout this issue, we will gather Friday, May 10, to cele- brate Alaska Mining Day. When intro- ducing legislation establishing Alaska Mining Day in 2013, Senator Cathy Giessel recognized that May 10 is an influential day for the mining industry. The General Mining Law, signed May 10, 1872, established the system that
The hardrock mining industry alone generated an estimated $17 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2017. The industry pays between 40 to 50 percent of earnings in federal, state and local royalties, taxes and other fees. In Alaska, our industry contrib- uted nearly $185 million in state and local taxes last year. These numbers cover just government revenues alone, and don’t scratch the surface of economic benefits in jobs and wages, procurement to small businesses, and revenues to Alaska Na- tive Corporations. In Washington DC, we are now at a policy crossroads. On one side, there are those that want to take us down a path to bury the mining industry under unnecessary new regulation and destroy its global competitiveness. On the other, leaders, like our own Senator Lisa Murkowski, recognize the strategic importance of the U.S. mining industry and want to encourage – not discourage – new production and mining investment. At a hearing earlier this year, she remarked that the U.S. is head- ed in the wrong direction on mineral imports. “This is our Achil- les’ heel that serves to empower and enrich other nations, while costing us jobs and international competitiveness,” she said. She’s absolutely right. The future of the U.S. economy – and the future of Alaska’s econ- omy – depends on mining which provides the materials for nearly every industry and product we use. We need strong leadership in Washington to ensure the nation’s mining industry can not only compete but thrive. Here in Alaska, it can be said we have many policies at their re- spective crossroads, but in our state we’ll be gathered with our strong leaders like Senator Dan Sullivan, Department of Natu- ral Resources Commissioner Corri Feige, and Representative George Rauscher to celebrate this incredible industry at Alaska Mining Day.
governs hardrock prospecting and mining in the United States and led the country to become a global leader in minerals min- ing. The General Mining Law covers land tenure, taxation, claims systems, and other legal mechanisms in which metal mining is governed on federal lands. This year, centered upon the significance of the May 10 date, there is an effort underway to overhaul the General Mining Law. This effort is either punitive or driven by a gross misunderstand- ing of how the hardrock mining industry is regulated and is fo- cused on two false narratives. First, it suggests that the Mining Law needs reform because it doesn’t include necessary envi- ronmental protections. Second, it claims that the hardrock min- ing industry isn’t paying its fair share and should be subject to a new federal royalty on production. In reality, the hardrock mining industry is one of the most high- ly-regulated industries in the world. What these proponents of an overhaul conveniently ignore is that the Mining Law is not an environmental statute . It is complemented by a comprehensive network of state and federal environmental, ecological and rec- lamation regulations. For example, the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act all apply to and govern mining. These are but a few of the federal laws and regulations that populate that comprehensive network. Trying to include environmental protections in an over- hauled Mining Law would only be duplicative and would provide no additional benefit. Regardless of the core motivation of those pushing for Min- ing Law overhaul, the result would be the same: mining invest- ment would flee, essential state tax and royalty revenue from mining projects would dry up and U.S. mineral import reliance would snowball.
Deantha Crockett Executive Director
Executive Board Mike Satre, President Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company, Juneau Bill Jeffress, First Vice President SRK Consulting, Anchorage Bartly Kleven, Second Vice President Kinross – Fort Knox, Fairbanks Kim Aasand, Treasurer Aasand & Glore LLC, Anchorage Branch Chairmen Ted Hawley, Anchorage Roger Speer, Denali Anna Atchison, Fairbanks James Sage, Haines Frank Bergstrom, Juneau Jim Duffield, Kenai Blake Bogart, Nome Andrew Spokely, Ketchikan/Prince of Wales
Committee Chairmen Kevin Adler, Convention Howard Grey and JP Tangen, Federal Oversight Steve Grabacki, Fisheries Meg Day, HR/Workforce Development Paul Glavinovich, State Oversight Follow us anytime: Online at AlaskaMiners.org Like us on Facebook at Alaska Miners Association Follow us on Twitter @alaskaminers
The Alaska Miner is the official journal of the Alaska Miners Association, published eight times a year exclusively to our members.
It is published in partnership with the Alaska Miners Association by Fireweed Strategies LLC, 4849 Potter Crest Circle, Anchorage, AK 99516.
We actively seek contributions from our members and the mining industry. Please email story ideas and photos to Lee Leschper. Advertising Rates and New Tips For advertising information, or to submit news, story ideas and photos, call or email Lee Leschper at 907-957-6025 or Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com Alaska Miners Association Staff Deantha Crockett, Executive Director Jennifer Luiten, Membership and Fundraising Director Laci Michaud, Projects Manager Darlene Strickland, Bookkeeper/Membership
www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I May 2019
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