Walker needs to take a stand on Pebble

Gov. Bill Walker is on record this fall saying he's not supportive of the Pebble mine.

But he also said he can't do anything to stop it. "I don't know that there is a lever for me to pull that's going to absolutely stop it," he told a reporter in October.

Around Dillingham, where I live, Walker's do-nothing stance is seen clearly as a political cop-out.

Pebble Limited Partnership has now filed for permits to begin building the mine. We have moved from the theoretical into the real stage of Pebble. With the federal EPA abandoning the people and fisheries of Bristol Bay, there's now a real chance this mine could get built.

[Pebble unveils long-awaited smaller mine plan]

It's time to find out how committed Gov. Walker is to the communities and fisheries of Bristol Bay.

This is where we find out if he's for real.

The governor may think its politically convenient to throw up his hands and say there's nothing he can do. It allows the mine to proceed, while the governor may hope his stated opposition saves face with the voters.

He's falsely handcuffing himself and he's at risk of losing voter support statewide.

I believe there are things Walker can do to stop this mine.

Pebble's claims sit on state lands. The governor and his natural resource agencies are in charge of that land base. The vast majority of Alaskans are against turning those lands into an open-pit gold and copper mine. As the state's executive, Gov. Walker has the right to determine that those lands are managed as the public wishes.

[Small Pebble will become big Pebble — and the answer is still no]

Similarly, the rivers and fisheries of Bristol Bay belong to the people of Alaska and are reserved for the public good — the state constitution enshrines that. Those waters should not be managed solely for the good of a Canadian mining company. It's up to the governor to make sure that they're not.

Gov. Walker, will you stand with the people of Alaska, who are overwhelmingly against this mine? Or will you stand with Pebble?

There is no middle ground, now that the threat of this mine has become real.

When the history of this period is written, it will honor those who stood up for the interests of the state, its communities and one of our most cherished legacies — our world-class fisheries. History will punish those who did nothing.

Now is the time for bold leadership, not feeble statements of futility.

It's time for action, Gov. Walker.

Dan Dunaway is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He lives in Dillingham.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser.