Anchorage Daily News

Alaskans are being deluged with TV, print and radio ads asking them to vote for or against Ballot Measure 4, which seeks voter approval for more water quality regulations for large mines.

The two factions in the ad war -- the state's mining industry and foes of the controversial Pebble copper and gold project in Southwest Alaska -- are also reaching out to Alaska voters by snail mail. In recent weeks, the groups have mailed large brochures asking voters to fill out surveys on mining, and absentee ballot applications so they can vote early.

There's even a pro-mining movie playing on local cable stations and the Internet.

The huge amount of advertising on the proposed law, set for statewide vote on Aug. 26, is creating one of the state's costliest political battles in years.

Preliminary disclosures to the Alaska Public Offices Commission show that supporters and foes of Measure 4 have raised at least $3.6 million so far for their ad campaigns.

That's more than groups raised for all four of the statewide ballot measures in 2006, which included two multimillion-dollar fights over natural gas and cruise ship taxation.

It's also significantly more than the amount all candidates spent in the state's 2006 gubernatorial campaigns -- including the contentious Palin-Binkley-Murkowski Republican primary.

So far, the mining industry is outspending the anti-Pebble forces, state records show.

INDUSTRY SPENDING

The ballot measure's foes have raised nearly $2.7 million to try convincing voters to reject it, according to disclosures to the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

Most of the donations are coming from the state's large mining companies, which have the most to lose if the proposed law passes, said Willis Lyford, the executive director of the anti-Measure 4 group Alaskans Against the Mining Shutdown.

His group has received nearly all of its big-dollar contributions from the Council of Alaska Producers, a group of mining companies. Council members include the state's large metal mines and the Pebble Partnership, the joint venture exploring the Pebble prospect, he said.

So far, Pebble has contributed $800,000 to the council for its primary election activities this year, state records show.

The pro-mining group and the council claim the initiative -- which seeks to block new, large metal mines from discharging harmful amounts of certain pollutants -- could also prevent existing mines from renewing their permits.

The sponsors of Measure 4 say they are only trying to block future mines that have the potential to hurt salmon or drinking water supplies. They say their proposed law doesn't target the industry at large -- only the massive Pebble project located in the headwaters of two rivers that feed Bristol Bay's world-class salmon fisheries.

"What (the mining companies) are doing is classic how-you-kill-an-initiative. You want to confuse the public," said Art Hackney, an Anchorage political consultant and co-sponsor of Measure 4.

SPONSOR SPENDING

The supporters of the initiative have raised just less than $1 million so far.

Their group, called Alaskans for Clean Water, has received large donations from a couple of Anchorage residents: Bob Gillam, a financial manager and long-time Pebble opponent, and Bernard Klouda, a pharmacist. Each has donated $10,000, according to their disclosures to the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

The anti-Pebble advocacy group Renewable Resources Coalition chipped in $150,000.

But the group's biggest contributor disclosed so far is Americans for Job Security, an Alexandria, Va.-based anti-tax trade association that produces political ads all over the country during election campaigns. For example, the group produced ads attacking former Gov. Tony Knowles and gubernatorial candidate Fran Ulmer during previous state election cycles.

The jobs the group says it wants to protect are Bristol Bay fishing jobs.

The national group, which does not disclose its donors, provided $750,000 to Alaskans for Clean Water in June, according to state records.

Hackney is a board member and said he was pleased that it agreed to join the fight for Measure 4.

DEADLINES LOOM

Next Monday, both ballot groups face their first major deadline for disclosing their fundraising and spending.

The $3.6 million they've reported so far may end up being a just a portion of their total spending.

That figure only includes donors who complied with state law by filing a disclosure within 30 days of contributing $500 or more.

Some contributors may have missed the deadline, and others who contributed less haven't been counted, according to APOC officials.

Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.

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