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.
Red Dog Mine settlement in final stretch - 9/3/2008 4:09 pm
Anglo in Canada - 9/2/2008 10:58 am
Tuesday night's election story - 8/28/2008 10:00 am
Various statements today on Measure 4 - 8/27/2008 8:07 pm
Measure 4 results from around Alaska - 8/27/2008 2:53 pm
It's back up - 8/23/2008 2:01 pm
New York Times - 8/22/2008 8:13 pm
Is this ad right? (updated) - 8/22/2008 7:38 pm
The state's Measure 4 web site - 8/22/2008 7:12 pm
Measure 4-related item from ADN's politics blog.... - 8/22/2008 4:58 pm
APOC - 8/22/2008 2:18 pm
APOC: Web site must come down - 8/21/2008 10:20 pm
A Pebble/Measure 4 Poem - 8/21/2008 12:24 pm
Ballot Measure 4 updates - 8/21/2008 12:05 pm
Update on tomorrow's ballot measure debate - 8/19/2008 6:10 pm
The state weighs in - 8/19/2008 3:07 pm
Bloggers go wild on Ballot Measure 4, Pebble - 8/18/2008 6:34 pm
New role for Renewable Resources Coalition - 8/13/2008 5:17 pm
Native corps and Ballot Measure 4 - 8/12/2008 12:21 pm
Acid mine drainage - 8/6/2008 5:56 pm
Debate on Ballot Measure 4: Aug. 20 - 8/6/2008 4:00 pm
Eye on Anglo - 8/1/2008 6:46 pm
Posted: July 7, 2008 - 3:15 pm
Drill rigs at Pebble prospect. AP photo.
A couple of months ago, Carol Ann Woody, a former federal fisheries scientist, complained to state regulators about a "lack of transparency" about exploratory drilling at Pebble. In her letter, widely distributed by e-mail, Woody raised questions about whether the drilling could pollute and remove too much water from some of the salmon streams in the area around the Pebble deposit.
I ended up writing this story.
Last Thursday, Tom Crafford, the large mine permitting coordinator for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, issued a 12-page response to Woody's original letter.
Here's a small blurb from Crafford's letter:
Firstly, we want to respond to, and strongly disagree with, your opening comment abouta "lack of transparency around drilling at the Pebble prospect ..." To us, the phrase "lack of transparency" implies an attempt to conceal something. As far as state agencies are concerned, this is absolutely not the case. In recent years, there has been an increased level of minerals activity in the state that has heightened public interest about mining and minerals exploration. Much of this attention has been focused on Pebble due to its scale and location. We have responded to this increased public interest in multiple ways ...
I'm attaching both letters below.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Woody-CraffordLetter2Apr08.pdf | 1.71 MB |
| Crafford ResponseLtr.pdf | 118.15 KB |
2 July 8, 2008 - 6:27am | minewatcher
...why be so hard on Carol when you yourself have already been bought and payed for by the mining industry. You know what they say about people who live in glass houses don't you?
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1 July 7, 2008 - 8:20pm | NoBob
Carol Ann Woody is Bob Gillam's paid professional complainer
and nothing more. Her letter is stunning for its lack of professionalism. Read Tom Crafford's reply. She doesn't know what she is talking about. She misrepresents and uses misinformation in every part. She puffs her fisheries credentials and touts her PhD, but if she applied a level of professionalism in her work for the government that she exhibited in this letter, she would be fired. And everyone knows it's all but impossible to fire someone from government work.
Here are a few things. She uses data from dated oil field practices--not what Pebble is doing. She grossly exaggerates the amount of water used. She should visit a drill site. I bet the Pebble people would show her around. But no. Better to be ignorant if one is just there to complain. She claims some sort of secrecy. Sheesh. Crafford blows her out of the water on this. She denies that there are existing protections. No surprise there. That's what Gillam's initiative people have done too. Dishonest from start to finish.
But way to go Carol Ann. Dishonest for the holy cause. Yuck.
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July 7, 2008 - 8:25pm | NoBob
perhaps she just did it for the money.
(I've gotta go work on my drill project again. Too bad I won't be here for Carol Ann's reply.)
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3 July 9, 2008 - 3:22pm | ThorZone
Another Red Herring
This is another of the time honored and common strategies of the environmental community....hurl a bunch of baseless accusations at the wall and see what sticks. Meanwhile someone (Thanks Tom….Nice job) has to waste their time responding to BS claims of environmental damage.
It never stops, and it probably never will. It is just how the greenies roll.....
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