I was extremely disappointed with the ADN editorial regarding the Kinross/Black Gold ore haul plan from the Manh Choh mine near Tok to the Fort Knox processing mill north of Fairbanks. The editorial board was understandably concerned with the massive corporate subsidies by the state and federal governments, and the pulling of these funds from infrastructure projects that should benefit citizens all around the state. But as long as these concerns were addressed, they saw no problem with selling out the safety of Interior residents to Outside interests.
This plan is so devastating to the safety and quality of life of Interior residents that it has broad, bipartisan opposition — not to mining — to turning our windy, two-lane public highways into high-volume industrial haul roads year-round,24/7.
What if Kinross planned to truck ore from Hatcher Pass south through Anchorage traffic and along rural two-lane highways to a processing mill in Homer? How many school bus stops, and how much recreational, business and commuter travel, would that impact? How many more accidents would be acceptable on the road to Girdwood? I suspect the editorial board would come to a different conclusion when their own children and grandchildren were sharing the roads with these behemoths, piloted by out-of-state drivers inexperienced in our road conditions.
How many of those drivers will take their salaries home to trickle down into businesses in the Lower 48 instead of here? The handful of jobs created for Alaska residents (whose money will stay in our economy), and the profits for distant shareholders, are hardly worth the sacrifice of Alaskans’ safety.
— Sandra Zirnheld
Fairbanks
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