Alaskans head to London to confront Anglo American

Published on April 21st, 2010

By TAMMY JUDD

Barring interference from the ash of a recent Icelandic volcano eruption, a delegation of Alaskans planned to travel to London this week to talk with Anglo American Plc executives and shareholders during the mining company's annual meeting.

Anglo American holds 50 percent interest in the Pebble Partnership, which is exploring the prospect of a large gold and copper mine near Iliamna in southwest Alaska. Northern Dynasty is the other Pebble partner.

The delegation, which includes Bristol Bay fishermen, Native Alaskans and a former Alaska state senator, plan to address the annual general meeting on Earth Day, April 22.

According to a press release, they will "hold Anglo American officials to promises not to build the Pebble Mine if local communities are against it."

"When we met with CEO Cynthia Carroll and former board chairman Sir Mark Moody, they told us Anglo American would not develop Pebble Mine if local people did not want it," said Bobby Andrew, who attended the annual meeting in London last year. Andrew is a spokesman for Nunamta Aulukestai, a Native organization representing eight tribal villages in Bristol Bay.

Everett Leroy Thompson, of Naknek, is also among the Bristol Bay delegates traveling to London.

"There is me, George Wilson Jr., of Levelock, Lydia Olympic, of Igiugig, Bobby Andrew of Koliganek/Dillingham, former Sen. Rick Halford, of Koliganek/Chugiak, and Verner Wilson, of Dillingham, Thompson said. "I went on this trip last year and we were extremely busy. The day before we left was supposed to be our one day that we had off in the week, but Lydia and I were asked to be on Sky News, of course we took it."

Thompson, a commercial fisherman and co-owner of Naknek Family Fisheries, said the group has an agenda of meetings already lined up including the annual general meeting and they also hope to meet with Anglo's chief executive.

"For the last month, we have been trying to get a meeting scheduled with Cynthia Carroll, but have had no response. They want us to welcome them here into the bay, but I don't feel a welcoming committee when we get there," Thompson said.

He wants to express to the shareholders and investors that this is a risky project they are wasting their money on, he said.

"There is overwhelming opposition against this project in the bay, we don't want them here. The continued health of our renewable resources is far more important to us than a few jobs."

Many fishermen, area residents and others fear that if the Pebble mine were built, there is a risk of toxins reaching the rivers which flow to Bristol Bay and which are major spawning grounds of wild sockeye salmon.

According to a press release, the open-pit gold and copper mine would be the largest of its kind in North America.

Thompson, who is a member of the Alaska Independent Fishermen's Marketing Association, said the AIFMA board has OK'd him to represent them in London on this issue.

"My wish list on this trip is for Anglo American to throw in the towel, admit it would be hard if not impossible to develop a large sulfuric mineral mine in and around our spawning ground that wouldn't degrade habitat. Let them pack up and leave and also look like good blokes and encourage permanent protection for Bristol Bay," Thompson said.

The Alaskans will be in London through April 23, and are blogging about their trip at www.ourbristolbay.com.