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The Pebble Blog

The gigantic Pebble copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska is one of the touchiest topics in Alaska today.

In this blog, I'll track news that is significant or interesting about the Pebble project. I'll also try to generate discussion and information sharing about some of the claims and counterclaims about the project, and mining in general.

Please keep your comments courteous and on topic. If you violate the ADN comment policy, your posts will be deleted.

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About Elizabeth Bluemink ebluemink@adn.com

I've been writing about mining in Alaska since 2004 and without a doubt, it is one of the most interesting topics that I cover at the Daily News. I've been a newspaper reporter for the past 10 years. In the Deep South, I specialized in reporting about environmental conflicts and pollution cleanups. For two years, I covered commercial fishing, mining and logging in Southeast Alaska. In my current job as a Daily News business reporter, I write about mining, tourism, Native corporations and other businesses.

Court dismisses anti-Pebble initiative

Posted by Elizabeth Bluemink

Posted: June 9, 2008 - 1:05 pm

By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
ebluemink@adn.com

The Alaska Supreme Court signed an order today that dismisses the more controversial of two embattled "Clean Water" ballot initiatives aimed at blocking the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine in Southwest Alaska.
The court agreed to dismiss a pending case that would have been the final chapter in a legal dispute over Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell's finding last year that the "Clean Water 1" initiative was unconstitutional.
"Clean Water 1" was one of two initiatives filed by Pebble opponents to limit water pollution discharges from large mines. Voters petitioned successfully to place both of the initiatives on the ballot. The mining industry and some Native organizations sued to block both of them.
The sponsors of "Clean Water 1" recently asked Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell to pull their proposed law, explaining that it was too divisive and they wanted to put all their energy into the less-stringent initiative, called Ballot Measure 4.
So far Parnell has not acted on that request. Today's order by the Supreme Court makes that a moot point, according to lawyers involved in the case.
The ruling means that all Parnell needs to do is "comply with the court order" that reinstates his own original finding, said Jeff Feldman, an attorney for the initiative sponsors, John Holman, Jack Hobson and Luki Akelkok.
The Supreme Court made its decision after the "Clean Water 1" sponsors and Parnell filed a motion last week asking the court to drop their appeals of conflicting lower court rulings on the initiative.
Now, Ballot Measure 4 is the only one in legal limbo.
Pending a Supreme Court ruling, it is scheduled to appear on the statewide election ballot in August.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for oral arguments on Ballot Measure 4 next Monday.

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10 June 11, 2008 - 3:23pm | stick_ah_bag

Country Bumpkin

"Not one of us has taken a bribe," said Norman Jacko of the Pedro Bay Corp., which has a contract to work on a proposed road alignment for Pebble.

Norman Jacko, is a life long plumber being manipulated by the Pebble Partnership. He would not know a bribe if it fell in his pocket. Norman resides in Arkansas, if he does participate in subsistence than he must subsist on parry dogs, rattle snakes and grasshoppers, no salmon in Arkansas. As history demonstrates, the Pebble Partnership will sufficiently manipulate the ignorance of the Pedro Bay Corporation Principals until such time as they have gained access through the corporations private lands, than the Pebble Partnership will have their way with the land, in-spite of the will, or culture or values of the Pedro Bay Corporation Shareholders, a majority of whom oppose the Pebble Project and access road.

June 12, 2008 - 5:50pm | Sockeyemark

When they are handing out free money, morals go by the wayside

people will be standing in line trying to think of ways to get their hands on this money. The fabric of the local area is being torn apart, just the start of the Ills that the Pebble Mine will create.
All the mining folks are trying to make you believe that Pebble will be the answer to all your problems....folks your problems are just getting started..

June 13, 2008 - 11:16am | njalo99

lol

maybe if they just said the money was an "Incentive" you wouldn't be so hard on Pebble eh Mark??

June 13, 2008 - 2:13pm | Sockeyemark

It's a hand out, call it what you want if it makes you feel

better. Get the people of the area socialized, pay them what you want for support of your mine. People will get use to that guaranteed money. The folks of King Salmon are for the mine because their gravy train has left ( Federal Government Air base ). Looking for the new easy money, it's the Pebble Partnership Fund, like giving candy to a baby.

July 16, 2008 - 9:56am | desaerica

How very true, Sockeymark.

Their problems ARE just getting started. Who owns the resources the Pebble Mine folks want to mine?

June 14, 2008 - 10:23am | njalo99

???

just wondering why the difference, while the fisherman are getting their "incentive's" from the fed and and state authorities, the people recieving money from Pebble now are getting "Handouts?"
just curious

July 27, 2008 - 3:05pm | Sockeyemark

I pay into the Federal Government, I don't pay into Pebble

Yet they are handing out money....it's a handout jalo.
You people only see it one way....just courious

July 27, 2008 - 4:55pm | rfn

Who is this

guy "courious" who's getting all those handouts?

Of course the exemption to clean water regulations that allows transport of human waste in fragile tanks on watercraft and sluicing offal into the water doesn't count as a "handout", now does it?

The same level of water purity demanded of mining by existing laws MUST be demanded of all users of water! That's just simple fairness. Anything else would be a handout! Oh!!! It already IS!

June 14, 2008 - 11:42am | Sockeyemark

I know of no hand outs from state or fed at this time

I guess you could call the buy back of crabbers in the Bering sea a hand out. Feds bought out crabbers to drop the overall numbers of crabbers then went to the quota system to catch their crabs. This was all done to lessen the risk in the fishery due to the high death rate.
Not sure what they'll due about AA high death rate that they have in their mines. Maybe they'll put Pebble on a quota system, only so many yards of dirt can be move a day.

June 14, 2008 - 4:20pm | njalo99

short memory Mark??

I just brought that up because on another blog I made a flippant remark about being only one of the 12/13 fisherman still working BB and got called out on it. I do believe it was you who told me the Gov was looking at incentive's to bring more fisherman Back to BB. So which is it short term, or selective memory??

June 14, 2008 - 4:55pm | Sockeyemark

She is still looking at it, nothing has happened as far as I

know. Just like she is looking at Pebble Mine, nothing has happened there either. But I do know the Gov was part of the reason Clean Water 1 is off the ballot... Oh that's alright about your flippantness, it's your style.

June 15, 2008 - 8:23am | njalo99

for sanity actually

I try and keep my remarks light hearted otherwise i wouldn't be able to respond to some of the more ludicris statements I have read without getting really p$%^&$ off, which wouldn't help me get my point across and wouldn't benefit the conversation

June 15, 2008 - 9:13am | Sockeyemark

Happy Fathers Day, no reason to get wound up

world keeps turning with or without Pebble......

June 16, 2008 - 9:17am | njalo99

I agree

Hope your Father's Day went well also

June 14, 2008 - 10:18am | njalo99

not really a handout

If you get a job with AA, or NDM the money won't be a handout, while working in the mine you earn your money.

June 14, 2008 - 11:35am | Sockeyemark

That is true

but the Pebble Partnership Fund is a hand out program that is intended to soften the peoples view on the mine

June 14, 2008 - 2:59pm | PuckFebble

Interesting to note

Back in February when Pebble came to Dillingham, Sean McGee the Pebble spokesperson, after announcing the Pebble buyoff plan. He flatly refused to announce the amount of the fund, despite knowing full well that it was a measely amount at that time. The announcement came less than a week later. He said at that meeting that the fund's existence and contingent on Pebble's existence. While not saying so directly, its quite clear Pebble's fund is nothing but a thinly veiled buyoff, and a cheap one at that. Only the Republicans in Juneau are that cheap.

9 June 11, 2008 - 9:47am | asrcp9

KSKA 91.1 FM Radio "Clean

KSKA 91.1 FM Radio "Clean Water Initiative Revisted" June 4, 2008

Caller question " If you are concerned about only one region, Bristol Bay, why do you have a ballot initiative that will affect all of Alaska?

Art Hackney "If there was a way to specifically address the Bristol Bay region, we would do it. We tried to do it in the legislature twice, but it failed."

Sounds like Mr. Hackney understands that the Clean Water Initiatives will have an effect on all mining in Alaska.

8 June 11, 2008 - 9:30am | ebluemink

A few things

I sure wish you all wouldn't discuss me personally on the blog - praising me probably hurts my credibility most :)
I call factual errors when I see them. Not sure what else to say about that.
Also, I'm not going to delve into my thought process here (and now I know better than to e-mail Puck Febble about it) but rest assured, I've been weighing for a while how best to report on the activities of mining companies in other countries that also operate here. It's quite likely that there will be some sort of article on my plate soon.

June 11, 2008 - 11:50am | PuckFebble

Hi There,

Miss Bluemink, I sincerely hope your day is going well, along with everyone else. Again, I meant no disrespect whatsoever, I think you are generally fair, but with a few examples otherwise. I would hope there is no hard feelings, and hopefully pointing out the issues I have had will prevent further issue. Nothing more or less. I am in no way meaning to insult you.

But nobody has yet to be able to answer my original question. Which is concerining CW3 and if that in the future will be called Ballot Measure 4. Or are they two different things. The story posted is a bit vague on that issue. I would appreciate it.

June 11, 2008 - 3:04pm | ebluemink

yes

they are the same thing. I tried to avoid alphabet/numerical soup when I wrote that afternoon Web post but it apparently backfired on me.

June 11, 2008 - 10:43pm | PuckFebble

Hi there

Thanks for the clarification Miss Bluemink. I like to think I follow this issue fairly closely. But it was the first time I had seen it referred to as BM4, rather than CW3 :)
So in the future everyone will know they are one in the same.
So I say, vote yes on Ballot Measure 4!

June 11, 2008 - 12:57pm | asrcp9

The Clean Water Initiative

I don't see your "original question" anywhere on this particular blog subject, but maybe you asked it somewhere else.

The Clean Water Initiative #3 is the same as calling it Ballot Measure 4. The number 3 comes from the people who wrote the multiple initiatives (which has been whittled down to just #3) and "Ballot #4" is its designation on the August 26 ballot.

June 11, 2008 - 10:44pm | PuckFebble

Thanks...

For the info. I had asked the question down in post #2.

June 11, 2008 - 9:38am | ThorZone

Suggestion

Just report the facts. Ask hard questions of both sides. If you work hard at doing the digging, the facts will eventually bubble to the surface.

7 June 11, 2008 - 5:43am | pmjusa

Don’t shoot the messenger…

I thought it did make sense. But then I’ve probably followed this more closely than most. The title does tend to create the (false) impression that the initiative issue only affects Pebble and it is over.

NoBob’s posts elsewhere on this blog should fill in any additional details.

Complaints from both sides about Elizabeth’s work are a pretty good indicator that she’s doing right. Thanks to her for that.

6 June 9, 2008 - 10:45pm | snowtanned

What happened?

I have a feeling that Elizabeth Bluemink wrote a concise, intelligible story, and her editor cut and wacked until it didn't make sense. Elizabeth, if you're still in the newsroom, could you take another crack at this? I've tried to follow this closely, but as other posts have concluded, this is very confusing. Thanks.

June 10, 2008 - 8:03am | CingRed

I agree.

Elizabeth is a fantastic reporter and has been presenting both sides of the issues without interjecting her bais. She's bringing integrity and balance to her profession. I wish ADN had more reporters like her. Hats off Elizabeth!

June 10, 2008 - 8:30pm | PuckFebble

I dont :)

With all due respect to Miss Bluemink, whom I have nothing against as a person, and have had some informative and respectful email conversations with, I think she might sometimes be wearing her mining helmet and headlamp while writing some of the content on here.
I have seen her on more than a few occassions pick out posts by the anti-pebble crowd and target them for accuracy and/or being of a speculative nature. Whereas, I see the pro-pebble crowd getting away some very arguable and/or marginal points, personal attacks, or totally off topic things and nothing is posted by her about it.
She has also to this point, avoided much of the more unflattering news that surrounds the mining industry and specifically the companies wanting to develop pebble. Despite being well aware of them. Including past and current practices concerning enviromental issues, safety concerns and horrible human rights tragedies, while not shying away from doing the same things to those who are anti-pebble.
I understand she has a job to do, just like the rest of us. But to say there has been fair representation of both sides isnt quite accurate.
Either way, I hope everyone(especially Miss Bluemink((you know how to email me)) and CingRed) is having a nice evening. Also, a big hello to Pmjusa, Sockeyemark and Demorgan33.

5 June 9, 2008 - 9:26pm | smarty

This is journalism?

This article is poorly written and does nothing but confuse the reader as to what the hell happened. Come on, ADN, get some writing skills.

4 June 9, 2008 - 8:49pm | NoBob

I was distressed to see this misleading headline

"Clean Water 1" applied to all large mining in Alaska and prohibited even the slightest metal discharges or storage of tailings. Sure, the sponsors want to make these initiatives referendums on Pebble, but the news should stick to the facts. Both initiatives have state wide effect and they say nothing about Pebble.

June 10, 2008 - 9:07pm | PuckFebble

A few things...

I am not aware of any process outside of the Legislature acting through a bill such as HB 134 that could block Pebble as a single development. Despite what the AAMS folks want to spin, the citizens iniative is the most open and public democratic process Alaska has to offer.
In case this iniative doesnt work, I am awaiting the chance to sponsor legislation to ban cyanide heap leaching methods of mining in Alaska.
Pebble, a flat out bad idea. Lets mine the headwaters of the already industrialized, less salmon productive, and having the necessary infastructure in place at the Kenai River first through these methods, then see how people feel about it.

3 June 9, 2008 - 8:17pm | CingRed

I am not a betting man.

or Bswenson would be $100.00 richer! Good call.

2 June 9, 2008 - 8:12pm | PuckFebble

So...

Is Ballot measure 4 and CW3 the same question for voters?
Also, does this mean the bogus ads about clean water shutting down mining will go away?

June 10, 2008 - 2:57pm | rfn

The sincere, honest ads will continue.

I hadn't personally seen any "bogus" ones from that side of the issue but if you insist there....

If any of the ads, pro, con, bogus, real....ANY go away Alaska will lose at least three TV stations and one newspaper. Keep up the good work, troops!

June 10, 2008 - 8:14pm | PuckFebble

Thanks for sharing

RFN,
Now go ahead and continue your zealot development mantra about protecting the salmon. Much more entertaining for everyone else that way.

June 12, 2008 - 8:38am | rfn

Only fair.

See what's happening?

Salmon disappearing from Alaska's streams and rivers! Front page news today. It's all because of the murder that goes on each summer. Fish being wantonly killed to feed greedy people who fail to see the Virtue of Vegetarianism.

Until fishing is completely banned....not a single fish slaughtered...then people will never really be, well, human!

After all, there is NO solution to anything except to completely ban something. Don't you see the TV ads for the mining shutdown?

June 12, 2008 - 8:06pm | PuckFebble

Thanks again.

I appreciate the humor you bring to this. You do realize of course though that stopping all wonton killing of salmon will certainly include Pebble not being developed.

June 13, 2008 - 10:33am | rfn

Humor?

This is dead serious!

ALL development must stop along with all fishing. There should be no new roads built and old roads must be allowed to return to nature.

All lodges built for the amusement of the super-rich must be torn down and all the materials removed from the wilderness. Right now. Before it's too late.

Of course all helicopter flights over the wilderness must end and the people left behind at those lodge must find their way out on foot.

Progress is the root of all evil!

Of course people who can prove their 100% native heritage must be allowed to live in peace in their traditional settlements and practice their subsistence lifestyle unmolested. The salmon and animals are perfectly in tune with that just as they have been for thousands of years. It's the intruders who must be forced back to, where?, Europe?

It's the only way our Wilderness Resources can be Renewed!

There's no equity in selectively blocking development. It's ALL or nothing.

1 June 9, 2008 - 7:31pm | bswenson

I got a hundred bucks...

that Says PuckFebble replies within 47min of this post.

Just Say'n.

June 10, 2008 - 1:23am | PuckFebble

You Win...

Take it out of my share of the Pebble Purchasing Bristol Bay Residents Fund.

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