Mine info:
I attended another meeting on this mine in Dillingham and found they will have a more informational web site soon.
It will be community oriented and not strictly investor oriented. Its supposed to be more complete in two weeks:
http://www.ndmpebblemine.com/ There is just some place holder stuff online at this point.
Comments:
Yes sorting out what is best for Alaska as well as locals near the mine site is a huge challenge.
At this point Northern Dynasty doesnt know for sure if they will build the mine. They are waiting for core analysis to help them decide if the deposit is feasible to mine. Then they have to figure out if they can feasibly meet the regulations and permit terms required by the State and possibly Federal Government. Not to mention they will have to cross Native owned lands some of who dont want a mine at this point.
So yes we all need to get educated. With all the different aspects folks will need all the time available to get educated.
IN Dillingham the ND rep. brought up that there is some consideration of creating small water retention dams in the far upper reachs of the south fork of the Koktuli to address ground water concerns. In addition they are looking at diverting a portion of the S. Fork Koktuli into the Upper Talarik Creek - an entirely different watershed! All just ideas at this point but potential concerns for public access and environmental problems.
Dave, while I agree that some worries for the pipeline and this mine arent warranted, some issues warrant all the scrutiny and attention we can muster.
My dad is a mechanical engineer. He was able to review some of early pipeline designs and they were BAD. Some designs had the hot pipe laying on permafrost. Little seismic (earthquake) design work was done. My dad has said many times that the strong and persistent objections of the environmental lobby helped make the final pipeline design and construction so successful (and yes, many times more expensive). The ongoing scrutiny by critics keeps maintenance and operation of the pipeline as good as it is. Like the wolves helping to keep the caribou herds more fit, I have to grudgingly acknowledge that the Sierra Club et.al.deserves credit for the relatively minor impacts of the whole north slope oil development.
If you wonder about my dads qualifications: Mechanical engineer (licensed PE) from about 1958 to 1983. In that period he designed and oversaw construction of the HVAC, and all plumbing on many large buildings across Alaska including the both JC Penny buildings, Romig Jr. High, portions of Anchorage Providence Hosp., Fairbanks court house, other schools, as well as many large buildings on the military bases. His heating and ventilation knowledge was used in development of special foundations for permafrost in Glennallen, Fairbanks, Galena?, Delta and other places.
The social issues may be the hardest to deal with, hardest to anticipate yet the most profound of all. I have been through the Kenai oil boom, Dutch Harbor crab boom and crash, portions of the salmon boom in SW Alaska in addition to living in Fairbanks during the pipeline boom and the real-estate bust of 1986. There are some winners, some losers, lots of turmoil, massive changes that can never be undone, and a lot of us wondering whether some of the changes were worth it.
Ill leave it there. It will be a collective decision to reach.
