Ron Rimelman , Advocate of The Year By Mike Satre AMA is often hailed as being an
organization in which member and committee volunteers drive much of the advocacy work the Association is able to accomplish. With a small staff, AMA is still able to comment, testify, and otherwise participate on hundreds of issues annually, and that is due entirely to the incredible subject matter experts within our membership who lend hours of time evaluating extremely technical regulatory issues and providing feedback to ultimately be compiled into a formal record. This award recognizes someone who has gone above and beyond to provide significant efforts to strengthen an advocacy effort on behalf of AMA, and Ron Rimelman embodies this definition. Ron has been an active member of AMA for many years and with expertise in Clean Water Act, permitting, and other regulatory arenas, has put hours in and pen on a number of absolutely critical policy proposals. Most recently, he helped shaped AMA’s lengthy and technical comments on the Department of Interior-led Interagency Workgroup on hardrock mining reform. This workgroup is looking at a kitchen- sink approach to overhauling Mining Law, our claims system, environmental regulation, local and tribal engagement, reclamation and abandoned mine cleanup, and much more. Ron not only participated in AMA’s robust comments, but also the two national organizations advocating on our behalf. We can be sure that Ron spent the majority of this year working this issue, and will continue as the workgroup moves forward. Ron has also been extensively involved in AMA’s efforts on Waters of the US changes, both in the previous and current Administrations’ proposals to significantly change WOTUS amid
Photo by Lee Leschper Mike Satre and Deantha Skibinski present Ron Rimelman the 2022 Advocate of the Year Award.
a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ron has participated in work sessions, meetings with stakeholders, our Congressional Delegation, the State of Alaska, and countless others trying to establish policy that is consistent with case law and works for Alaska. Ron was also instrumental in AMA’s efforts on the CERCLA 108(b) financial assurance efforts, and while this was a few years back, the record built by the work of our volunteer group of experts remains vital today and similar proposals are attempted. These examples are followed by
Ron’s work to craft AMA responses to changes to Clean Water Act Section 401 certification, DEC’s Triennial Review on Water Quality Standards, changes to BLM’s Bering Sea and Central Yukon Management Plans, and so much more. The issues I have outlined here seem like decades worth of work, and they really are, but they were all made possible by those that lend their expertise to our efforts. Ron stands out as one of those who will put countless hours of hard work in to help AMA make a difference, and it is my pleasure to nominate him for Advocate of the Year.
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The Alaska Miner
Winter 2023
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