State of Alaska supports Pebble... (Anchorage: mineral rights, leases, subdivision)

[warptman]

This is sick....

The Mudflats | State of Alaska Supports Pebble Partnership’s Attempt to Silence Alaskans (http://www.themudflats.net/2011/08/08/state-of-alaska-supports-pebble-partnerships-attempt-to-silence-alaskans/ - broken link)

[RedJacket]

This is another example of we the state know best, and you the moronic people are interfering with our ability to best manage Alaska's mineral resources for its people.

In other words, there's big money in this for politicians, and there's no way in hell the citizens will stop this forth coming monetary gravy train.

A scene played over and over in all 50 states.

[freezengirl]

Sick, sick, sick but suprising-not really. Call, write, email and fax the governor and don't give up because if Alaskan's won't fight back, nobody will.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by warptman

This is sick....

The Mudflats | State of Alaska Supports Pebble Partnership’s Attempt to Silence Alaskans (http://www.themudflats.net/2011/08/08/state-of-alaska-supports-pebble-partnerships-attempt-to-silence-alaskans/ - broken link)

If such a source was not so bias toward "Democrats" I would take your article at least with a grain of salt. Just go to the "Contributors" and read about every one of these people to see what I am talking about.

Other than that, I personally don't care for either the Alaska Democrat nor Republican leaders, for it matters not which side makes itself look good or bad. Both are the same, as they only think of how to stuff their own pocket.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

If such a source was not so bias toward "progressives," I would take your article at least with a grain of salt. Just go to the "Contributors" and read about every one of these people to see what I am talking about.

Other than that, I personally don't care for either the Alaska Democrat nor Republican leaders, for it matters not which side makes itself look good or bad. Both are the same, as they only think of how to stuff their own pocket.

It doesn't matter who likes what. This in part stems from the fallacy that gets repeated over and over here in Alaska - that we (Alaskans) own the resources. In fact, the State owns the resources, and is Constitutionally mandated to manage those resources for the benefit of all stakeholders.

The inititiative seeks to circumvent the State Constitution by claiming that its passage would give Borrough residents final say over development decisions. That can't happen. The State of Alaska is merely joining the lawsuit to defend its constitutionally mandated responsibility.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by RedJacket

This is another example of we the state know best, and you the moronic people are interfering with our ability to best manage Alaska's mineral resources for its people.

Like I said, here in Alaska, the State DOES own the Resources and Mineral Rights. So they get to say what gets done. Don't like it - change the State Constitution.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

It doesn't matter who likes what. This in part stems from the fallacy that gets repeated over and over here in Alaska - that we (Alaskans) own the resources. In fact, the State owns the resources, and is Constitutionally mandated to manage those resources for the benefit of all stakeholders.

The inititiative seeks to circumvent the State Constitution by claiming that its passage would give Borrough residents final say over development decisions. That can't happen. The State of Alaska is merely joining the lawsuit to defend its constitutionally mandated responsibility.

I am in complete agreement. The State Constitution supercedes any ordinance a borough, municipality, or town may impose.

The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people.

Source: Article 8, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution

The State legislature, not the borough or the people, has the constitutional authority to provide leases and permits for the purpose of exploration and production of those natural resources.

The legislature shall provide for the issuance, types and terms of leases for coal, oil, gas, oil shale, sodium, phosphate, potash, sulfur, pumice, and other minerals as may be prescribed by law. Leases and permits giving the exclusive right of exploration for these minerals for specific periods and areas, subject to reasonable concurrent exploration as to different classes of minerals, may be authorized by law. Like leases and permits giving the exclusive right of prospecting by geophysical, geochemical, and similar methods for all minerals may also be authorized by law.

Source: Article 8, Section 12 of the Alaska Constitution

All mineral rights are also reserved to the State, not the borough or the people.

[BudinAk]

One thing that irks me about the Pebble project is I heard that the company that wants to mine there is foreign-owned, not U.S. So most of the profits from this proposed operation would be going out of the country (less wages paid to the workers). What benefit would the state get from all this...would it get paid a royalty? Maybe that's why the state supports Pebble...

Bud

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by BudinAk

One thing that irks me about the Pebble project is I heard that the company that wants to mine there is foreign-owned, not U.S. So most of the profits from this proposed operation would be going out of the country (less wages paid to the workers). What benefit would the state get from all this...would it get paid a royalty? Maybe that's why the state supports Pebble...

Bud

Actually, several companies are involved in the ownership of the Pebble Limited Partnership, but you are correct that some of those companies are from other countries.

Half of the Pebble Limited Partnership is owned by Anglo American, PLC, which is a wholly owned US-based subsidiary of Anglo American, based in London.

The other half of the Pebble Limited Partnership is owned by Northern Dynasty Minerals, LTD, which is in turn owned by Kennecott Canada Exploration, Inc. (which is a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, PLC, an English company) and the Mitsubishi Corporation.

So there are at least two different nations involved in the ownership of the Pebble Limited Partnership - England and Japan.

How is that any different from our oil? The bulk of our oil is produced by British Petroleum, and they also pay for the bulk of our State government (56%). Only 2% of the oil that is produced in Alaska stays in Alaska, the rest is shipped to either the lower-48 or other nations.

If the State did not appropriately tax the Pebble mining operations, then they would be remiss in their constitutional obligation. All natural resources in Alaska, be it coal, copper, oil, fish, game or anything else, should be appropriately taxed for the benefit of all Alaskans.

As for the reason why the State opposes the borough's proposed initiative, one need look no further than the Alaska Constitution. Only the State legislature has the authority to grant or deny leases and permits pertaining to our natural resources, not boroughs or any other political subdivision of the State. The State is merely upholding its constitutional authority.

[starlite9]

When my son was going to Classes to work for the Alaska Railroad, the anti Pebble people were just getting organized a few years ago and had a public meeting upstairs at the Holiday Inn in Anchorage. I was waiting for my son to get off from his classes so I went to the meeting.

What I came away with is the guy that was spearheading the entire program owns a lodge in the area where the mine is "Maybe" going to be located. He considers his Lodge and the millions of wilderness acres around it to be his private preserve for the very rich clients he take out to fish.

I had a chance to "chat" with him after the presentation that is nowhere as slick as what they have going now, and he is quiet the marketer, he has gotten thousands of people riled up about something that doesn't even have a site specific plan announced, just a general area that I am aware of.

The Company will be hiring thousands of people both directly and from spin off support and so forth.

The mine will be very highly regulated by ADEC over it's lifetime and you won't see the type of mining that was done 100 years ago in which the Anti groups like to refer to. When the Pebble partnership started to talk about the Copper River mines back in the turn of the Century, they dumped all their toxins directly into the Tributaries that dumped into the Copper River. Pebble will do nothing of the sort or would be fined out of existence by the State. Fort Knox mine is almost on the same scale as what Pebble will be, but it hasn't destroyed the environment and has done very well by it.

But the thing that really pissed me off is when the anti Pebble groups started to attack the gal that is the TV spokesman for Pebble, that just showed their colors as lowlifes to me. The fact that they provide no data other than slander is what lost the last bit of credibility as far as I'm concerned.

If the oil industry even so much as burps, the economy of Alaska is done, there is very few things that will support the states economy, if you are lucky enough to be in the small coastal fishing industries, you will still be affected by the state imposing massive taxes to try to offset the massive pork they have spent already. So trying to shut any new industry (in this case, Mining in Alaska has a hundred year history) starting in Alaska with fear, is pretty low.

Pebble will employ a lot of Alaskans and put food and a roof over their head. I don't see them destroying any salmon habitat, but maybe if I'm lucky, the ambiance of one fishing Lodge belonging to a very arrogant guy will be in jeopardy.

As a side note, the Kennicott Copper mine also took out gold and other minerals and as I said, dumped tons of toxic chemicals into what amounts to the Copper River, and the Copper River Salmon are some of the most prized in the World.

But if it was such a bad place, why are almost all the old mines now some part of the National Park system....

http://www.nps.gov/wrst/historyculture/kennecott.htm

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