now sitting in my chair, I see the same in my life. “But if we continue to work hard to educate people and demonstrate that these resource extraction things can be done responsibly, we are going to open the eyes of people, because nobody has taken time to explain it to them.” Things as simple as the activities the Haines AMA chapter does, and be - ing visible at events and fairs and job fairs, all help, she said. “I’ve got a nephew working at the Palmer Project and people can make good money there. I’ve got lots of nephews and nieces who want to come home but there’s no year-round work here. Right now, there are 30 families in Haines being supported by mining. “I like a good challenge. “One of the ways I’ve answered the people I talk to here, that are not mine supporters, is to say: ‘Wouldn’t you rather have mining done respon- sibly? Unless you’re willing to throw away your cellphone and car and all the rest. Wouldn’t you rather have what we need mined in a place where there are rules and regulations and oversight rather than in a country far away without that stuff.’ “That gets through to a lot of peo- Remote Locations Mineral Exploration Grade Control Monitoring and Piezometer wells Dewatering Wells Geotechnical
ple.” In describing her work on the Alas- ka Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, she repeats the theme of finding com - mon ground with those who disagree, saying she’ll continue to bring a tribal health approach, as well as her expe- rience in leadership in a small town. “I think I bring a different per - spective than people from bigger plac- es, that I hope that I can share that in some of the decisions that this body makes. We need to understand the impacts to the communities, when we make these kinds of decisions. So, I think that I bring a small community perspective in those decisions.” Jan as mayor has also often been called into interviews, to defendmin- ing when protestors object to local mine projects, including the Palmer Project. A story in The Guardian, among interviews with several mining op- ponents, include Jan’s insight on the community, while pointing out that the project’s namesake was a friend of her parents. “Mining is kind of in my blood,” she said then. Her great grandpar - ents came up to Alaska in 1898 from Washington state for the Gold Rush.
FACES, CONTINUED from PAGE 16
moved here, were not raised here and don’t understand that we embrace re- sponsible resource extraction — and that’s no matter what it is, min- ing, fishing, logging. But people who suffered from irresponsible practic - es elsewhere, when they come here, don’t understand how we do what we’ve always done. Things we’ve done responsibly throughout the state are getting bashed by people coming from elsewhere.” Educating those who don’t un- derstand resource development, and Alaska’s success in doing it responsi- bly, is critical to our future, she said. She laughs at the idea of predicting where Alaska or mining will be in 50 years. “My crystal ball is full of hope. That’s the way I am! Sure, I get de - pressed and down in the dumps, but the bottom line is 50 years from now we’re going to see more changes. “Talking to my grandfather about his experiences like seeing the first Model T in Haines and things that made dramatic changes to his life, and
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The Alaska Miner
Winter 2022
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