Faces of Mining seriously. After all, the entire nation desperately needs these resources. Alaska has the minerals that our country needs if we’re going to shift to renewable energy and electric vehicles for instance. Whether you care about the environment, energy security or our economy, Republicans, Democrats, and everyone in between should be able to support mining responsibly in Alaska. Develop locally! What do you see as our biggest challenges? And opportunities? By blocking any and all development in Alaska, the federal government is undermining our entire economy, harming jobs, opportunity, and State revenue. This is sending a signal to the private sector that job-creators should stay away from Alaska. But there is a tremendous opportunity to build bipartisan consensus around domestic mining both locally and at the federal level. It’s just a fact that we need domestic resources for clean energy technologies, for our economy, for our energy security and to stay competitive with China. What keeps you awake at night? As a father of three, I would have to say its my kids that keep me up most nights! What does AMA mean to you? Alaska has outstanding trade associations advocating for our State’s economy and AMA is no exception. I couldn’t ask for a better ally for our industry. Deantha and her entire team provide so much to mining and the entire natural resource development industry, whether it is in Juneau or Washington, D.C. I am very thankful to have them on our side and equally thankful that I don’t have to go up against them. What do you do for fun? When I am not working, you can usually find me on a basketball court coaching my three young children. As a sports parent of three kids, most of my free time is spent in the gym or at fields of various types. As a family, we also love to hike, fish, canoe, kayak, anything that gets us outdoors no matter where we are. All my kids love Alaskan salmon, so you can also find us at the grill, cooking up salmon in new and fun ways, after we fish it out of the ocean, of course. Can you provide a quick update on Ambler Metals? Ambler Metals is a joint venture between South 32 and Trilogy Metals. We have employees based in Anchorage and Fairbanks, and during the summer season out at Bornite and Arctic in the Ambler Mining District. And on the Ambler road status? We’re committed to working with our partners to find a transportation solution. We have many great options and paths forward. Stay tuned. You eloquently said the role this work has protecting ANILCA as well as protecting the Alaska economy and jobs … can you repeat that? ANILCA stated that the Secretary of the Interior SHALL permit a surface transportation corridor from the Ambler Mining District, through the Gates of the Arctic to what is now called the Dalton Highway. Unfortunately, this Administration has decided that ANILCA did not matter and went ahead with an unprecedented no-action alternative. This is especially upsetting when taken in context of ANILCA, and that this surface transportation corridor was specifically negotiated by the Late Senator Ted Stevens. The Department of the Interior should not choose to discard the pro-resource development components of ANILCA while simultaneously enforcing all the conservation components of ANILCA, that is not a deal that any State would have taken, certainly not Alaska and certainly not Sen. Ted Stevens. Anything else you want to share? Thank you for this opportunity. FACES, CONTINUED from PAGE 18 The Alaska Miner Summer 2024 20 "The reason I joined Ambler Metals was because I believe in this project, and I also believe strongly in what this project means for Alaska. Ambler Metals will provide critical jobs for Alaska and critical economic opportunities that our state needs."
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==