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A TOXIC WAR IN ALASKA
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by
Kiley Austin-young
SILENCE REIGNS OVER the land. Glaciers
and snowelds thaw in the sun, dissolvinginto the torrents of ceaseless rivers. The jag
-
ged banks show the green shoots of summer,but there are no commercial shermen. Themelted, mossy mush of beaver ponds, butno concrete dams. The stern, white facesof craggy buttes, but no ski tourers or snowmachines. This is the Wild, the savage, vast
Northland Wild.
Today, there are men here—gainseekersgroping in the Arctic darkness. And they havefound a yellow metal.
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KILEY AUSTIN-YOUNGA TOXIC WAR IN ALASKA
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th pac h Br Ba r f Aaka, ab w h-drd m hw f Achra ad v m frmdwar a Ck i. th pac h frm wdfara a f Aaka, h rc f h ar am r h pa, hm mr ha hdrd had car-b ad rb f m ad bar, ad a, h w f iama, nda, ad nwha—ma va f d-, bc pp wh hav b h r frhad f ar, carv a cr ad a f f ar.Ad hr a ra fr—a rar rv ckd h dra, r a cam a h rzz bar ad carbhrd ha raz h drp f va. th b, ava dpr f d ad cppr, a h hadwar f h Mchaa/nhaak Rvr ad h nwha/KvchakRvr—w f h m fam am-prdc rvrdraa h pa. Bh fd Br Ba, whra mad fr m am cm paw ach ar.expr a h dp—m h m pd f cp-pr, vr hdrd m c f d, ad x bpd f mbdm—cd b wrh a mch a haf ar dar.
On far-away elds, in the courts of Anchorage and in the
crrdr f Wah D.C., hr a br bavr a prpd p-p m f am mhca z— bcad Pbb—whch wd xrac h ma wh arh adcap rrvcab ad, ma a, ph h avam, cm, ad cr xc.if b, h m w b f h ar h wrd. ip p w carv w-v hdrd f h arh’cr. each da, h rrc-hr pra w ak pa a w m a f frh war ad mrr ha h c f Achra. i w cd h raddam h b, a rcr br ha thr gr Dam Cha—mad f ccr b f dr ad rck, rdr hd back h xc wa crad h m prc.th mad v b f xc d w d brpb cad.K tar, had f vrma am fr h rpk dvp h m, pch ca a a cr-a, ba ha h prjc w r “zr ”
sheries.
B a ra-a cadr f crva, prm rp,
businesses, commercial sherman, and Natives—led by an
mprbab b pwrf a, Achra-bad bmaRbr gam— cvcd. th hk rpb c-am a faa r a fara a b, a r a cam pd-
dled by Pebble’s backers at worst. They are forging a erceoppositional ght.
if a pr f h v b f rck wr prprcad, f v rac f h xc d—arc, mrcr,
acid drainage, and copper tailings—were to ow or blow intothe sh-lled streams, the red salmon, and by extension, all
h wdf h ara, wd b d. Chmca c-cra f hr r fr par pr b frh wardr a am’ ab ava ad h hra ab paw. gam h m wd ma “hdrc f h a ra am r earh.”th mpad, para haba vr h Arcc na-a Wdf Rf (AnWR) pa cmpar h caa-cm rp vr Pbb. th Br Ba ara f Aaka hap p b rd zr fr h m mpra v-rma, cca, ad pca war h a ha ar. th war—a B lard p a
New York Times
far— bw cm ad cr, cppr adca war, d ad wd am.sinCe tHe RussiAn fr rappr arrvd h 1780, hla Frr ha b a pac whr ma harvd ar,pr f , k jc frm h rap, a h rxaa ad cjrd f-va f h rac. Fr ad ad ara a dwd am h bd m ad rafrc f ar, whr h wr fd ad c-pd, ra-prd, d.
More than a century ago, man rst discovered the yellow
ma, ad wh amhp ad rapra cmpa
booming the nd, thousands rushed into the Northland. Since
h, m ha b cdd Aaka’ .Mr ar w d prc ma f h rd Aaka a h fa cp c 1916. A vra f h wrd’
most reliable currencies plummet in condence and exchange
va, prc ma ar fr rcrd prc—d w wrh vr $1,100 pr c—b frvr fr ra-r fr am m cmra.th Pbb Parrhp—cmpd f A Amrca, ald-bad cmpa, ad nrhr Da, a Caad-a cmpa ha ha vr b a m—k prm bd h Pbb m. if awd, Aaka cd j hrak f h wrd’ ar d prdcr, br b mark par wh h p f sh Afrca r Char Ra. th m-b-dar dra xcava a Pbbwd rqr h crc f brd ad dz f mf rad ad crc pwr acr wd, dvpdrra; h rc f prd pp fr f ad rckrr; h mpdm f ar qa f rfac wa-r; ad h frzd rapr ad f xc chmca.th pp h vrma rk a accpabhh. th fram hr f a dp, m-mddmchf-makr wh ccr b mmda cmmrca
success. They point to dire scientic research reports and
hr h wrd f a ad fdra b wh warha xc rd frm h prjc cd rrparab harm h
salmon, crippling the shing industry and the entire ecosys
-m.uma, h b ba pd rp h p-ca ram, whr h jdm p. thr frmr Aakavrr, w Rpbca ad a Dmcra, ad frmr s-ar td sv, a Rpbca, hav pk aa hm. i nvmbr 2009, gvrr sa Par h back ah Pbb crc, pd ha h a wd “vrdfd” h prm ra ad m-prm prc.Prp cam h m wd b a cmc dd h r. th m cmra a h w hr hrra pp wh hav j h dra vaf h mdr ra. ohr fr brk prm, a hm cmpa mpr kd abrr frm abrad.lca, d pp ar p. th b bwba f $70,000 aa aar—h ar prm f abr f ad cr h, h fr f capam whchma f h pp ad b am hav vr bprv.spprr ha m d ma m ach ar ca ad a ax rv, a w a pam Aakaav crpra; w w vrm cffr ad
villages ush with cash could pave asphalt roads and con
-
crete runways, building better schools and post ofces and
pard. th w m cd b rach f Amr-ca cr’ mdr maa a w. Cppr, crd card,ad Crp bprm. B, Jp, ad Jm Bam bd-r. th gd lf.tHe stoRy Begins, k ma hr, wh sarah Pa-.Wh h wa a cadda fr vrr Aaka, Pabrad f hr v fr h va ad baf da ha dra
into Bristol Bay—the salmon-lled province where tens of
m f h rd wmmr cm paw ach ar. ia campa qar, Pa prmd ha, “a par f a
Bristol Bay shing family”—her husband Todd is a part-timecommercial sherman and was raised near Bristol Bay—she
wd “ppr a rrc dvpm ha wd
endanger the most sensitive and productive shery in theworld.” Speaking to residents of a small native shing village
dr hr brara r, Pa hd: “M dahr’am Br…i cd ppr a prjc ha rk rrc ha w kw a v, ad ha h wrd’ rch- paw rd, vr ahr rrc.”B A 2008, gvrr Pa da a dah-bw apva awd ba av, Ba Mar 4 r Prp4, ha wd hav acd rcr d ad adarddr whch a m pra. th Pbb-rd m
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KILEY AUSTIN-YOUNGA TOXIC WAR IN ALASKA
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cmpa ad h Rrc Dvpm Cc f Aaka
spent more than $9 million to ght the proposal, an unprec
-dd m fr a pca rfrdm f h a’a pp a. th pp rp, d b Bb g-am, h av’ archc ad b dvdadr, pdd hf m a w.tv, rad, ad r advrm vkd dpa-ra prra f h Pbb prpa—xpd m ad ffr rd ck am d, rd-kmr ad cd av h hr. th pr-Pbbad a-Pbb prra cd h a’ arwav ad
stuffed mailboxes for months. (The total sum spent ghting
h av wa a a rcrd.)
During the run-up, Palin remained ofcially neutral—as
vrr f h a, h wa prmd ak d ba mar. th, x da bfr h a-A v,wh h p rva a razr-h dffrc m,Pa brk hr c. “l m ak m vrr’ ha ff fr j a m hr ad , pra, Prp 4—iv ha.” sh w dfd h prm prcad prad wha h aw a h r rar rqr-m. “W’r mak r ha m pra af, d.”th cmm rckd h rfrdm. i ha w-fr hr, h pr-m ca had pacd f-pawpapr ad wh Pa’ k ad h wrd “no”
large black typeface. The initiative was defeated, with fty-
v prc aa.Pa wa card f wrd b h Aaka Pbc of-
ces Commission, which said Governor Palin made it clearher statement was a personal opinion and not the ofcial po
-
sition of the state or the governor’s ofce. Palin’s stunt irked
ma. Frmr gvrr t Kw, a Dmcra wh Pa 2006, ad: “B a vrr a cm— hr ar h vrr r .”o A 29, 2008, hr da afr h v, sarah Pawa amd Rpbca sar Jh McCa’ r ma,ad h rfrdm wa fr.McCa campa pkwma Mha sap dfddh char aa h h Vc Prda cadda: “shppr rpb rrc dvpm…h abprc ad r ha a cmpa ha wa cm Aaka ad dvp r rrc a h vr a prvddh ab ava hmv f h a’ prc.”th prm prc, vv bh fdra ad aac, a pbc-prva hbrd whrb h ac
release their ndings and conclusions for public comment.
Ma f h pprr d dfd h m; h dfdh prc. B fra fr h pp, h prc p apprv, rjc.Aaka ha vr bfr dd a prpa fr h crc- f a ar-ca m.tHe ReFeRenDuM DeFeAt brd h pp ca,whch rma a k mb. A h hm gam,a f Aaka wh crvav pca wh hap-p w ad ad a xr d w-fr m frmh ara f h prpd m. irca, gam pd hda ad mak h dar ppr ba cmc d-
velopment; as president of an international investment rm
h fdd 1990, h dp b f vr capa rpr j k Pbb a vr h b.Fr ar, gam avdd h mda ph, b h r-vad h ac Pbb pbc a J 2009
Anchor-age Daily News
p-d. gam wr: “Wh a h cpprad d , w w b f wh h ar arh dam h wrd hd back prhap h ar xc dmp earh. th m dvpr w ak r cppr ad d,mak hr m ad b . Aaka w b f wh a dv-aad rvr draa m, a xc dmp ad jb.”i pr, gam a r, rff, bk f a ma—rdb f. H’ hard h cr, adrd wh a kd f
weather-beaten and war-torn cloak of condence, the living
prdc f wrk-ca r, f da ad h wrkfr h kp, f m mad ad , f ar-bakrpcad fr. Ab h ra, hah bar f a mawh ha amad a mm wah. H ar mr
ttingly low-brow, commensurate with his humble origins,
h p ck h cach h d w-bdrm cab,
talent for shing and facility with a shotgun, expert handling
f a - Ca, ad da rap h wd h wwa prc.sc h vvm ba, gam ha b h bjc f vr aack, pbc cr, aw, hra, ad crmaaa. nrhr Da mp ad hr pa
Pebble beneciaries have painted him as a villain, and a site
cad “Bb gam Ca’ B Aaka” prd h characrad chard ha prc f h -bdrm, fr-had qar-f hm wa h f-rd mv frh pp ffr (h pa ha c b ak dw).
The Pebble ght does not come cheap even to Gillam, report
-d am h rch m Aaka. H ha, h wwrd, p h m whr h mh . H wa a pvapar h rcrd-brak pca ad war vr h 2008ba av. B h w adm, h crbd $2 m- Vra-bad Amrca fr Jb scr (AJs) admr ha $850,000 drc h pr-av campa.Hw h m wa dad bcam a hadach ad a cam-
paign-nance conundrum for Gillam starting in March 2009.
i h afrmah f h v, rch warfar cd a hpr-Pbb cmra ad h Rrc Dvpm
Council led campaign-nance complaints against Gillam
ad h a-Pbb rp.th qawkd h a f gam’ ad mprprad akd fr cv ad crma prc. A wah cc bw gam ad h rp whch hcrbd, raza k AJs ad h Rwab R-rc Ca (RRC). Bh AJs ad RRC r dh m fd Aaka fr Ca War (AFCW), a -
prot organization formed to raise money for and advocate in
ppr f Prp 4.th char wa ha AJs ad RRCd h m frm gam ppr h ba campa whkp h ra rc f hfd cr accrd rapc—a a “pa hrh.”
The Alaska Public Ofces Commit
- (APoC), h am wachdwh acqd Pa f wrd h ha affar, drppd w f h char, ad h dcd rcmmd a crma v-a. gam, pprd b RRCad AJs, cd cam ha hdc h m fdAFCW wr mad b h ra-za a—a cam dpdb APoC aff, rprd, d h m f h crb adh rahp am h par.i a Fbrar f h ar, hprcr ad h dfdaard a m f $100,000,
which was not a “ne” or a “penalty.” The defendants admit
-d wrd b prmd mak “pa hrh”da h fr.
There are outstanding campaign-nance charges against the
pr-Pbb rp a w. i a -ma, gam rmd:“thr ar w APoC cmpa vr h mr ha whw ha fr m cmpa p vr $15 m dfa [h ba mar]...ad ha mch f wa
reported until six months after the election.” Byzantine
-ac ad, hr db ha h m’ backr pprc m a ffr b h c.gam qck p ha h mad crb—aa $1 m AJs, rcrd hw—bfr h avwa v apprvd b h Aaka sprm Cr J3, 2008. gam pdd h fd afr hav rr adwh ba f-hra bd c—h crbdh m, h a a adm f h w mra,“kw i mh mak .”gam, wh hah ha c rbdd, bv h cm-
plaints were led by the mining interests to intimidate him.
B ad f r card, h mbdd. n rpr-h, h wa prcam h p h pbc. iadd h p-d, h wa a w bjc f a h
prole published this spring in
Alaska Magazine
. H hk
he has been unfairly vilied and that his critics’ caricature
f hm a a w-dwd --m-back-ardr b hmv, prc h r f h hm a. “i’m d
this,” he told his proler, “because it’s the right thing to do.”
gr Jack, a rd f mpac-d cmm Pdr Ba, wr df f gam a ar a2007: “Bb gam ha v c-crd ca fk a vc; whh vvm ad rrc, wwd b brd dr hdrd f pa f nrhr Da prmappca, dpda aad ca brh vrm frdrad, prc ad ba-ac.” Jack cd: “Ar rdar wh h wa Bb gamwa war aa h Pbb M,b ar ad v hak hm frb a d hbr, w d a had, w a a dba vr h pr ad c f h m.”gam c hr par f c pp h m: hr adcc—whch h a hw ham f h z b vr-m f h kd ar r prbm; b —whch h draw ppr rwab rrc vr
non-renewable resources and in siding with prots for the lo
-
cal shing industry over prots for foreign corporations; and
cra hra—f whch, h a, vbra ca vaad pp wd b dprvd b h m’ cr.Wh h ak ab Pbb, h mard, cckr vcbcm rhd wh a frz f hh ad wrd—h
avor of marked urgency, almost anger, reveals that he’s
drv bh b v fr wha h hk a ak ad b c-mp fr h h f ar h Aaka, drmaad dra hm, ab h pbc r, ad brarar f rvad, f prhap xpaab, mpr.A mmr’ dk, gam cmpd bfr a rp f a h d. H h pac wd dck whvw f lak Cark, a aqamar p a farawa para-d, whr h pr rck pacab h char, a
BOB GILLAm
, an Anchorage-based business
-
man, believes the Pebble mine would mean thedestruction of the last great salmon run on earth.
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