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The state of Alaska just approved a key permit to begin work on a controversial copper, gold and silver mine. Native American groups have opposeed the Pebble Mine project since it was first proposed. Environmental organizations, commercial fishermen and others are also fighting it. The mine is planned for an area within the watershed for Bristol Bay, which is vital salmon habitat.
Guests:
Alannah Hurley (Yupik) – executive director of the United Tribes of Bristol Bay
Mike Heatwole – vice president of public affairs for The Pebble Partnership
Abe Williams (Alutiiq Eskimo, Bristol Bay Native Corporation shareholder and past president of the Paug-Vik Village Corporation) – commercial fisherman and business owner
Break music: Qalurru (Dip Netting) (song) Pamyua (artist) Drums Of The North: Traditional Yup’ik Songs (album)
MY NAME IS TERRY MANN. I AM FROM KOKHANOK, ALASKA. I AM A BBNC SHAREHOLDER AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF KOKHANOK VILLAGE COUNCIL AND FISHERMAN. I NOW LIVE IN DILLINGHAM.
I AM NOT WILLING TO TRADE ONE RESOURCE FOR ANOTHER. I HAVE 5 CHILDREN AND I WANT THEM TO GROW UP KNOWING THEIR SUBSISTENCE AND CULTURE ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I DON’T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT THE TAILINGS PONDS AND MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WATER USED TO RUN A MINE. I ALSO DON’T WANT ONE OF THE GREAT PLACES IN THE LAST FRONTIER TO BECOME A GHOSTLY DUSTBOWL IN 40 TO 50 YEARS. IT’S A ONE AND DONE WITH A WORRY THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY. SALMON AND WILDLIFE MUST REMAIN AS BRISTOL BAY IS ONE OF THE LAST STRONGHOLDS IN THE WORLD. I HAVE STRUGGLED TO WITH JOB AVAILABILITY TOO. WORKING AS MANY AS 4 PART TIME JOBS AND NOT MAKING AN END MEET BECAUSE THERE IS NO END. I UNDERSTAND THE JOB SITUATION BUT PEBBLE IS NOT THE SAVIOR. WE HAVE OTHER RESOURCES, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH BETTER IDEAS. WE CAN’T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN AND HOLD YOUR HAND AND SAY YOU NEED THIS. 100S OF TEMPORARY JOBS, WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
Stay strong . ..prayers for the fish and people
No pebble mine please
Renewable resources are our only future. If we invest in maintaining and managing our already established, sustainable, and wild fishery we can improve the modern cash economy the year-round residents of Bristol Bay live on. As a researcher and commercial fisherman whose family’s net business relies on this fishery, I hope to see a future for all of us who love and rely on wild Bristol Bay salmon and clean water.
The EPA listened to native community members and fishermen. “Preemptive blocking” based on what the people directly impacted by this potential development see in their future. This is how our government should work, and continue to work. By the People, for the People.
As a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay, I can’t stress enough how dangerous the Pebble project is to the fishery and its community, which works hard to support the Native Peoples of the region; Abe Williams called the fishing community “reluctant” to accept pebble, but I think it’s important to point out that for many of us its stronger than reluctance and more like vehement opposition because the mining project threatens a way of life on which the communities of Bristol Bay are founded on.
I started my involvement in this issue around 2007. I worked for Nunamta Aulukestai, Caretakers of our Land doing out reach and education on large scale hard rock mining development in Bristol Bay and how it would impact subsistence. I am now a full time visual artist and small business owner. I live in Aleknagik, Alaska, 20 miles outside of Dillingham. Much of my work is about the value of subsistence.
When it comes to the topic of jobs and Pebble, I’d like to remind everyone that Pebble isn’t the only option for job growth in our region. With the technology we have and e-commerce, small businesses have a lot of opportunity to thrive. People are looking to take the easy way out with seeing dollar figures from Pebble, but this is not our only option for economic solutions.
Working for Nunamta, I was able to see open pit mines in Utah and Nevada. I’m against the Pebble Project. Our people, our ancestors, warn us from taking things that seem too good to be true. It takes will and dignity to walk away from high dollar temptations, and the majority of our people realize this. We do not want Pebble in Bristol Bay. We have economic opportunity beyond large scale development projects. We are capable indigenous people and we put our land, water and animals before money.
Listening on the radio; why is it that Native America Calling didn’t close with a Native voice, but instead with final position and points from a foreign developer spokesman? It seems that on an issue so sensitive and personal as Pebble, and so highly opposed to by over 80% of the Bristol Bay Region that Alannah Hurley and/or another tribal representative would have had the opportunity to respond to all the callers and guests as Heatwole did.
I sincerely hope that this radio program, providing Native voices on Native issues and conversations, will not make an oversight like this again. Proper representation of the indigenous people is vital to ensuring that Native Americans and Native Alaskans don’t continue to be marginalized for generations to come, just like they have been for centuries before.
NO PEBBLE MINE!! STAY OUT OF MY BACK YARD, WE ARE THE VOICE OF BRISTOL BAY. DONOT COME TO DESTROY OUR WAY OF LIFE. WE ARE LIFE LONG RESIDENCE. OUR SALMON MATTER N ALL OTHER RESOURCES ON OUR LAND. GOD FORBID..