Pebble Mine - on PBS Frontline last night (Fairbanks, Tanana: bankrupt, live in)

[ysr_racer]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I'm cool with mining in general, but in a state this size with abundant undeveloped resources putting a mine in an ecologically sensitive area is just greed, IMO.

Yep, you got that right !!!

[Moose Whisperer]

Oh ffs.

Nobody "puts" a mine anywhere. Nature dictates where the mineral deposits are, thus the location for extraction. After all, we constantly reminded by the haughty tree huggers of the infinite wisdom of "Mother Gaia".

I'm sure if the Pebble Developers had the freedom to choose where to "put" the mine, they would obvioulsy pick somewhere else - if for no other reason but to spare the rest of us from the continuous snivelling and whining from NIMBY Nation America.

Good Freaking Grief.

[RayinAK]

One thing I like about Canadians is that their government agencies relating to mining or oil development do the job they are being paid for by the public, and the mining and oil companies do their thing without the sniveling from the public. Even predator control is conducted as needed, and nobody is whining about it. In the US we have all kinds of agencies that are supposed to be conducting the environmental studies and then approving or disapproving the projects (just like the Canadians do), but we still whine with no end in sight. Every one of us is an expert on the environment, and highly divided with the rest. The end result is that nothing gets done, while the whole nation goes broke.

Some of us want to "preserve" our resources for the future, without realizing that without money we have no power to defend such resources and ourselves from other nations.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I'm cool with mining in general, but in a state this size with abundant undeveloped resources putting a mine in an ecologically sensitive area is just greed, IMO.

The reason places get "Developed" is because some kind of resorce brought the people there. California was Gold, as was Colorado and other States. Alaska is still having the Gold attract the same type of people wanting to make a living.

[ysr_racer]

Making a living, and raping a natural resource into extinction are two different things.

Most of these mines are at best environmental disasters, but they're in dry spots, not the most productive salmon spawning grounds we have.

How do I know about the salmon you ask?

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...res-video.html

[jdhpa]

The material we need will be mined somewhere.

If it's in the US, we can regulate it, minimize the impact on the environment, and keep the most value of the minerals here (along with the jobs).

If it isn't in the US, we have no control over how it's mined or its environmental impact, and a large portion of the value of the minerals (and jobs) will go to another country.

We need to consider the entire problem, not just one specific mine location. That doesn't mean letting mining companies do whatever they want wherever they want, but it does mean making sure they can mine what we need somewhere. We can't just say "This location isn't ok", we have to also say what location is ok.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by ysr_racer

Making a living, and raping a natural resource into extinction are two different things.

Most of these mines are at best environmental disasters, but they're in dry spots, not the most productive salmon spawning grounds we have.

How do I know about the salmon you ask?

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...res-video.html

Glad you caught a few salmon and enjoyed yourself, but what does that have to do with the Pebble Mine? That water wouldn't come from the Pebble watershed? It comes from the Katmai National Park watershed...

That is like me going to Florida and catching a gator, it makes me no expert on Florida's Eco system.

As for the current mines in Alaska, they are by no means disasters, they employ a lot of Alaskans and are highly regulated and are not disasters at all. Where are you basing your views? On mining done 100 years ago, if so, you'd be correct. The Copper River was a cesspool of mining dumping of chemicals and it's Salmon nowadays command some of the highest prices for it's salmon. The Pebble Mine wouldn't even be close to what you are envisioning.

[Snowball7]

I am 10000% AGAINST Pebble Mine atrocity.

[ysr_racer]

Funny, most of the people in Dillingham seem to be against it, while most of the people in Anchorage seem to be for it?

I wonder how they'd feel if they were putting the mine in the Mat-Su valley?

nimby?

(Not in my back yard)

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by ysr_racer

Funny, most of the people in Dillingham seem to be against it, while most of the people in Anchorage seem to be for it?

I wonder how they'd feel if they were putting the mine in the Mat-Su valley?

nimby?

(Not in my back yard)

Well let's see, you have a few thousand people that are living under almost 24/7 of "the sky is falling" (on radio and TV) if the mine goes through. The fact that the Pebble Mine is a State Resource owned by all the people of Alaska is why it is important to all the State. So yeah, the People in Anchorage are more for it. They know if the State doesn't diversify away from oil, there won't be any oil money going to that area either.

The fishing industry is fading as well due to overfishing on the high seas too, so keeping one's head in the sand does what?