I have found more times than not... ADN readers that support unilateral resource extraction and choose to make comments on the articles resort to attacks and hyperbole. In particular, a user calling him/herself "richardcommonsense" posted this reply to Robin's OpEd:
"Another baloney story crying about Pebble. Pebble can be built and run without any problems at all. Its a joke how those who oppose Pebble always claim to be speaking the truth and how those that support it are nothing but dishonest liars. Of course they always fail to mention how the very biggest anti-Pebble supporter was fined by the state for funneling a million bucks to fight Pebble to hide who he was . Anti-Pebble supporters don't mind that deception at all. This whole issue is about a few lodge owners wanting to keep that part of Alaska as their own private playground. Even a sixth grader can look at a map and see Pebble will have no impact on fishing and see that the only problem fishing may have is attracting workers who will dump their low paying fishing jobs for much higher paying mining jobs. Even this artical downplays the fact that 50 percent of those fishing are non- Alaskans, where as nearly all those who work on Pebble will be Alaskans. Those who oppose Pebble always trot out stories how mines destroyed certain areas, and yet again never mention the facts of how those mines were dug many years ago without the safeguards and permitting that is required today. Those who oppose Pebble have closed minds. They only care about themselves and no one else. Fishing and mining can co-exist. All the current facts prove that. Anti-Pebble supporters are no more looking for the truth than a crook is looking for a policeman."
Well. . . here's my reply and I'd love to get some feedback from my fellow Bristol Bay and Alaska folks:
"MR. Commonsense...
Let's address some real FACTS here:
Let's address some real FACTS here:
1. PLP is the bastardization of 2 foreign corporations that are bent on destruction for profit. Anglo-American is British and Northern Dynasty is from Canada... the projects associated investors are also foreign corporations that thanks to the US Supreme Court are almost immune to liability through civil recourse by Americans for anything they may or may not do.
2. PLP has a plan that they have been sharing around for several years. They used a preliminary study plan to get their water-use permits and another plan to file with the SEC. So...make no mistake about it...they haven't spent almost a BILLION thus far without a plan. Granted that plan maybe a rough draft...but it does exist. Even seen some of it myself...published some of it on my blog as well.
3. Not everyone that opposes the perpetual destruction of Alaska is a fisherman or wealthy lodge owner. A good portion of the opposition are just everyday folks that treasure the bounty given to us by nature...year after year after year and so forth. We appreciate the FACT that the resources in Bristol Bay can provide for sustainability without digging a mile wide toxic waste pond in salmon spawning streams.
4. The economic benefits of developing this project are not assured or sustainable. There are no mandatory local/state hire policies in place. The severance tax returns are based on unstable markets and a antiquated AK taxation formula. The majority of the resource will be slated for commercial use, most likely in China, thus boosting their economic standing over the US. This is particularily interesting in that China also control a majority portion of the Earth's Rare Elements that are used to make magnets and transducers and capacitors and such... do we really need to feed more American resources into the Chinese economy?
5. NO ONE can assure anyone that "Pebble can be built and run without any problems at all. ". There is only one way to dig a hole... then the damage must be mitigated beyond original conditions. The facility built above the Talarik and Koktuli will have to be maintained in perpetuity, that mean forever and ever and ever. Who can predict the future... You, John Shively, Sean Parnell?
6. "Its a joke how those who oppose Pebble always claim to be speaking the truth and how those that support it are nothing but dishonest liars." Please scroll my blog and make sure I haven't posted any lies or 1/2 truth about PLP or Bristol Bay... I appreciate it. (http://jonrcorbett.blogspot.co...)
7. "Those who oppose Pebble have closed minds. They only care about themselves and no one else." If this were in fact a true statement, then those of us who live out here in Bristol Bay would be saying something like... "Screw the rest of AK and dig that hole!" But the fact is that Bristol Bay provides for a huge portion of the nations seafood and the benefits of the fisheries reach far beyond Naknek, Dillingham, Manokotak, Togiak, Aniak, New Stuyahok, Twin Hills, Clark's Point, Ugashik, Ekwok, Alegnagik, Portage, and the 50 or so other villages around Bristol Bay.
Have a great day from Bristol Bay!"
Jon Corbett