Rebel Against Pebble

So the residents of Bristol Bay have decided to rebel and vote in favor the anti-Pebble initiative, which restricts construction of world class sized resource development infrastructure when such is in close proximity to world class fisheries. Now we see the lawyers coming front and center to defend this and that, as the money being gobbled up upon this Pebble Partnership project isn't about to fade away. That could be expected, this litigation, as there is a whole lot of fighting money left in reserve. It will run its course and in the end... it will never end, it is called the appeal process. But with the anti-Pebble initiative getting the vote of approval, it is off towards a good start, as the people have spoken – maybe not an overwhelming victory this voice now heard, but in America the majority has the hammer. Now what irks me most this situation is the fact that Governor Parnell has decided to enter the race, as he and his attorney general believe they have the final say with respect to the state's resources and development opportunities, not the people! What a looser this guy is! And we thought Palin was the worse governor this state ever claimed or was it Frank? Anyway, I am sure the “Bush Rat” is on the side of those that voted down this controversial mine project. Be it known that resource development is essential for this state's survival, as without a sales tax or without a state income tax something has to provide for Ben Stedman's $900 dollar a night vacation palaces when not doing his job in Juneau, here in Alaska there has come the point in time wherein we need to slow down and go cautiously such endeavors. But the defense fostering development is stocking up its munitions, and the big gun worriers are aiming the sights against the voters' choice - to walk cautiously upon resource development. U.S. Congressmen Don Young has floated a bill in Congress, one that would strip back “All” regulations excited over the past 20-years. Here is what I say to Don, go ahead with this stupid bill but at the same time strip back the same amount of years away from the wage we pay you to supposedly “represent” - strip that back to $125k instead of what you receive today for nothing - like $175k. In fact, instead of scaling back regulations, why not pass some laws that would scale back corporate America CEOs' pay? In fact, why not go on the warpath to make sure my pay increases like your pay has increased over the past 20-years, benefits and all! Why is your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness better then mine? But I am serious when I say we must proceed with caution, any and all new resource development here in Alaska. Sure the state is running out of money due the fact that oil development is tanking, but that doesn't mean we need to take on and embrace Young's “Stupid” mentality, to strip it all away so they can then strip it all away, so we can get a few pennies on the dollar to support that yearly welfare giveaway – the PFD. Bottom-line, there is very little regulation left here in the “Last Frontier”. The sad fact of the matter is that regulation started finding a back seat when Frank Murkowski was the governor and gave Sarah and Randy a preferential seat on one of the most powerful regulatory committees this state relied upon, the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Committee. Does “conservation” in the title really mean anything these days? But we all realize that the sad fact this arrangement with Palin and Ruderick was as a convenient set-up as a secret GOP covert operation, a dereliction of duty and at the same time a ways and means to see regulation go down the toilet. It has happened, and then when Sarah took over the helm, it didn't stop , as regulation already in the back seat was shoved out the door. She cast a spell upon “Big Oil” with increased taxation and then put up an “Open for Business” sign to entice “Independent” oil companies – mom & pop type ventures – to venture North to fulfill a dream of making it rich invading the tundra through exploitation of the “Black Gold”. Like never seen before, with this new-age development craze we have given away the farm, with royalty relief and tax incentives that have provided very little in return, except the possibly that it is a devastation upon the ecosystem. Today we see all kinds of dereliction upon regulation designed to protect the environment - once known to be pristine and wild here in Alaska - along with little or no desire to protecting the citizens' health, like regulation is today only a suggestion. We see it with the EPA, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and the AOGCC. The DNR, DOR, you name it as the list goes on and on. And herein are some true facts and figures. The EPA did not come front and center to fine one of Palin's “Independents”, for the largest illegal dumping ever recorded on the North Slope, over 49,000 gallons of contamination, first denied by the culprits until a “whistle-blower” decided to spill the beans, then when evidence surfaced that could not be questioned, Pioneer walked away with a measly $10,000 dollar fine. Had this been BP or Conoco, it would have been in the millions. With the RCA, they were tricked into providing “oversight” upon the privatization of the military “utility” infrastructure in Alaska, a ways and means to fool the taxpayers and in turn, this scam is costing you and I millions in lost revenue so a handful of individuals on the take can rake in millions to their off-shore tax shelters. The “privatization” even under regulation is now considered a “Monopoly” which will eventually hurt the consumers through precedence set. Dereliction upon the AOGCC finds itself in a recent decision to let an oil company, that same “Independent” talked about earlier, permission to drill into a cesspool to develop possibly “human crap” contaminated oil, out of desperation. And the DNR seems to not give a rat's ass too what is occurring on the slope, especially with this new-age wine & dine the “Independents” movement fostered by Juneau. Like polar bear dens being disrupted out at Oliktok Point, when the operator was supposed to perform a “heat” survey to make sure this type of animal harassment did not occur, as was there no follow up report performed when another “Independent” allowed crude oil to be blown out of a flare stack – 20 feet from the ocean. Most likely sending hydrocarbon constituents out on the Beaufort! The list of dereliction goes on and on, and this is stuff that was witnessed by a single individual! So when good research finds that it doesn’t fit the mold of development, like exploration for exploitation, and we see honest scientists being furloughed, that’s the point - for being honest their assessments. We have lost the Last Great State Race. Bottom line, Alaska has turned into a state that places resource development above all. It is desperation driven, as the younger generation wants more for less. Look, all good things come to an eventual end, and this is the case today. The fact that MoanaLisa MurCowski wants the EPA to evaporate and Don's “roll-back” the regulations mandate has become a possibility in Congress and with Begich's behind the scenes drive to open up ANWR, it is this pressure that allows dereliction of duty. it appears that if those in positions to regulate the industry want to stay employed, it means giving in on everything and allowing “malfeasance” like development. Has it come to that, that people are afraid to perform their jobs, due possible retaliation? Just ask Walt Monegan, as the trend setting is alarming. So it was good to see the citizens stand up to prevent development in Bristol Bay, at least delay it for awhile, hopefully forever. We must “Rebel with a Cause”, as we can no longer trust those in government to make sure what is happening on their watch will not show up one day as an Alaskan style “Love Canal”. Unfortunately, it is happening as of this writing. With the attitude today with respect to environmental responsibility, had this same attitude been present when it came time for Congress to approve building of the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, it would have remained a dream. It wasn't perfect over the years, but there was some semblance of environmental accountability and responsibility. Over the years, that was refined and allowed for a win-on-win situation, that development could take place with the least amount of interference upon this wilderness. That all changed with a change of command at the helm. And what has transpired in short duration is a total disregard for any stewardship and when the governor tries to trump the citizens, we can see that this dereliction has invaded like a cancer and if not stopped through citizens’ intervention, then we may as well find a new motto for this state. Instead of the “Last Frontier”, a better fit may be the “Lost frontier”, here yesterday but gone today and tomorrow!