Alaska Politics Blog

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics, state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier has rarely been more interesting -- a full slate of federal and state elections, the influence of former Gov. Sarah Palin, the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. We encourage lively debate, but please keep it civil and stay on point. Don't use profanity, make crude comments or attack other posters. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will lose their ability to post comments.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's state and local news editor, is responsible for political coverage. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

SECTION

Alaska political corruption

When the FBI raided state legislature offices in Aug. 2006, it publicly launched an investigation that ultimately reached the highest levels of Alaska politics, and continues to this day.

Video: Sheffield, Sullivan on Honeman's fundraising calls - 1/11/2012 7:11 pm

Sullivan proposes killing I/M program six months early - 1/11/2012 11:44 am

Mayoral candidate accuses Sullivan of 'cronyism' over consulting contract - 1/6/2012 9:54 am

Two finalists for Anchorage school superintendent's job announced - 12/15/2011 9:38 am

Murkowski has "great concerns" about Obama consumer watchdog pick - 12/6/2011 3:36 pm

Lisa Murkowski wants investigation of why feds won't prosecute Bill Allen on sex charges - 11/28/2011 12:03 pm

Palin: I'm not running for president (Updated with video) - 10/5/2011 2:50 pm

Elections round-up: Taxes and bonds, plastic bags and politicians - 10/5/2011 10:49 am

Supreme Court decides in favor of Kensington mine owner

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

In a closely watched environmental case, the U.S. Supreme Court has decided 6-3 in favor of Couer Alaska Inc., which seeks to reopen the Kensington gold mine near Juneau. The court ruled Monday morning that the company's permit to discharge slurry from its gold-mining operation was not only lawful, but that the permit was appropriately issued by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

Environmentalists had objected to the company's proposal to dispose of tailings from gold mining into Lower Slate Lake in the Tongass National Forest.

The Corps of Engineers issued a permit giving the go-ahead for dumping after the corps and the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to a regulatory change in 2002. That rule change redefined "fill," according to one of the parties in the case, Earthjustice. That meant almost any solid material, including waste and contaminated materials, could be dumped into waterways. In Kensington's case, the Bush administration expanded its interpretation of the rule to allow dumping of toxic, industrial wastewater slurries directly into lakes and other water bodies, Earthjustice said, a practice that had long been prohibited by EPA rules.

An appellate court invalidated the permit, saying the dumping is barred by the EPA's pollution-control requirements under the 1972 Clean Water Act. Since 1982, it has been illegal for new gold mines using a particular mining process to discharge waste into navigable lakes or rivers.

© Copyright 2011, The Anchorage Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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