Coal workshops inform

To the editor:

As the local issues and energy coordinator of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, I’ve been working on putting together a series of workshops statewide called the Alaska Coal Workshop Series. As part of this project, we invited two special guests, Judy Bonds and Joe Lovett, to share their personal stories about mining in Appalachia.

We had our first in the series on Monday at the Morris Thompson Cultural Center (in Fairbanks). Four more workshops are scheduled this week in Palmer, Anchorage, Homer and Seward.

We are grateful to our hosts in the other cities, and the Morris Thompson Cultural Center, City of Palmer, Islands & Oceans Visitors Center, Institute of Marine Science and UAA, for giving us a venue to hold these events.

The workshops are meant to provide Alaskans with information about the scope of coal mining and combustion, both its impacts and its benefits.

Alaskans in general are very well-informed about oil and gas issues, but our knowledge of coal and its role as an energy source and economic driver for Alaska is not nearly as strong. As more and more interests begin looking to our state to develop coal, we felt it would be important to fill in some of those holes and help jump-start the conversation so Alaskans can begin learning more about this resource and the potential part it may play in Alaska’s energy and economic future.

For the record, the organizations sponsoring the workshops are not anti-mining. We recognize that Alaska-owned Usibelli Coal is one of the state’s most important players in coal mining and export. We realize the pressure this and other mining companies are under to develop their leases.

We appreciate, in particular, Usibelli Mine’s contribution to creating local jobs in and around the Fairbanks area.

While mining is important to Alaska, so too are public health, clean water and air, our communities, and our fish, wildlife and natural resources on which continued prosperity depends. Ensuring that development is done in a responsible manner that protects those values is important for Alaska’s future. Talking about important issues like coal development will help all of us make good choices for our state.

We welcome and invite all Alaskans with divergent points of view on coal to join us as we work together to develop Alaska’s true energy potential. We want to keep what makes Alaska special not only for those of us here now, but for future generations as well.

Jessie Peterson

Local Issues and Energy Coordinator

Northern Alaska Environmental Center

Fairbanks