Nick Begich Agreed “100%” That The Federal Government Was Wrong To Block Pebble Mine Development And Supported A Lawsuit Seeking “Billions Of Dollars” From The Federal Government In Response

Begich Agreed “100%” That The Federal Government Was Wrong To Block Pebble Mine Development And Supported A Lawsuit Seeking “Billions Of Dollars” From The Federal Government In Response. Kelly: “We have a mine, called Pebble Mine, that could be developed in Alaska. But it’s been a great source of controversy because there’s some conflicting views over whether developing Pebble Mine would jeopardize a very, very lucrative and essential fishing area up here in Alaska […] What I do not support is the federal government coming in with a preemptive veto, not listening to the voices of the natives who live in the region, not listening to the voices of the people here in Alaska who’ve studied it, not listening to the voices of the people who understand the fish in Bristol Bay, not listening to any of them, and just imposing their decree as bureaucrats from Washington, D.C. without even stepping foot in the area, Nick, and saying, ‘No, we know better as Washington, D.C. bureaucrats, as government officials from on high, to decide what you’re gonna do with your resources in D.C.’ And Mary Peltola just introduced an act to support permanent preemptive vetoes from the federal government on Alaska’s development of resources.” […] Begich: “100%. I couldn’t have said it any better and I totally agree with everything you just said, and let me just add one additional piece to that. You know, the administration, our gubernatorial administration, is actually suing the federal government because of this attempted preemptive veto of the project out in that region of our state. And they’re suing for hundreds of billions of dollars, because when the state selected these lands, they did so at statehood because they recognized the mineral potential for this region […] and at the same time that we have this lawsuit going forward, we have Mary Peltola trying to take it off the table.” [Rumble, STAND_Show, [23:12], 6/19/24]

When Asked If He Supported “Development Of The Pebble Mine,” Begich Said “A Scientific, Lawful, And Comprehensive Process Must Determine This Outcome.” “To help Alaskans sort through the dozens of options, we’re asking each candidate where they stand on the issues. Here’s how they responded, in their own words, to the following questions on natural resource development: […] Do you want to see … (Please answer yes or no. If needed, add an explanation of no more than 10 words.) […] 2. Development of the Pebble Mine? […] Nick Begich (R): […] Pebble? ‘A scientific, lawful, and comprehensive process must determine this outcome.’” [KTOO, 6/2/22]

Begich Refused To Take A Position On Pebble Mines, Offering That A “Scientific, Lawful, And Comprehensive Process” Should Determine The Outcome.” “Nick Begich (R): Pebble? ‘A scientific, lawful, and comprehensive process must determine this outcome.’” [KTOO, 6/2/22]

• 360 Scientists Signed A Letter To The EPA Urging The Agency To Reject Pebble Mine Development. “A whopping 360 scientists from Canada, Poland, Australia, the contiguous United States and elsewhere in the world are pleading with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) en masse not to approve the Pebble Mine development in Bristol Bay, Alaska…The letter was sparked by the EPA’s final assessment of the project, which came out in mid-January and concluded that ‘large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay watershed poses risks to salmon and the tribal communities that have depended on them for thousands of years.’ [ICT News, 9/13/18]

Begich Did Not Respond To Alaskans For Bristol Bay Action’s Questionnaire And Did “Not Have A Public Record On Pebble Mine.” “This year’s special election for Alaska’s only seat in the U.S. House will play an important role in the fate of Bristol Bay. For more than 20 years, the region has lived under threat from the disastrous Pebble Mine, which would poison the watershed with billions of tons of toxic waste, destroying one of the last great salmon runs on Earth, wiping out thousands of jobs, and devastating communities that have thrived in the region for generations. We asked the candidates if they would stand with Alaskans and help protect Bristol Bay. […] The following candidates did not respond to the questionnaire and do not have a public record on Pebble Mine, so we ask ‘Whose Side Are They On?’ […] Nick Begich III (R).” [Alaskans for Bristol Bay Action, accessed 9/13/22]

Begich Claimed He Wanted To Support The Mining Industry And Reduce The Industry’s Regulatory Burden. “Improving Availability of Resource Jobs: This involves supporting industries such as oil, gas, mining, fishing, and timber and ensuring they can operate efficiently and sustainably. Reducing regulatory burdens and providing incentives for companies to invest in these sectors will create more job opportunities, boost local economies, and help lower the cost of living.” [Alaska Beacon, Accessed 9/10/24]

Begich Wanted To Diversify The Mining Industry By Investing In Projects That Would Mine Base Metals, Precious Metals, And Rare Earth Metals. ” Alaska is rich in natural resources beyond oil and gas, with significant deposits of base metals, precious metals, rare earth elements, and other critical minerals essential for America’s supply chain and national defense. By investing in and expanding the mining sector, we can create new jobs, diversify the economy, and reduce dependence on oil revenues. [Alaska Beacon, Accessed 9/10/24]

• ZeroGPT Identified Begich’s Responses To The Alaska Beacon’s Candidate Survey As Possibly Having Been 100% AI-Generated. Zero GPT’s analysis identified Begich’s responses to the Alaska Beacon’s candidate survey as 100% AI-generated. AI text generators can produce false information; Zero GPT claims that it detects AI text with 98% accuracy. [Zero GPT, Accessed 9/10/24]

Image: see original report, p. 120

[Zero GPT, Accessed 9/10/24]

Begich Adopted An Exaggerated Complaint About The Biden Administration’s Use Of Executive Orders, Including Counting The Pebble Mine Rejection Order Three Times. “Nick Begich the Third, who finished second in the primary election for Congress, has adopted the Sen. Dan Sullivan canard that the Biden”administration has crippled our economy by restricting resource development and has now issued 66 executive orders specifically targeting Alaska. As I’ve made clear here before, 66 is an imaginary number…President Biden’s rejection of the oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Ambler Road are each counted six times, while the Pebble mine and the roadless rule in the Tongass are each counted three times.” [Dermot Cole, 8/24/24]

The Environmental Damage From Pebble Mine Would Threaten Alaska’s Salmon Industry

The Environmental Damage From Pebble Mine Would Threaten Alaska’s Salmon Industry. “A mining company plans to dig a pit, more than a mile square and a third of a mile deep, over two decades to obtain the metals, estimated to be worth at least $300 billion. Supporters say the project, known as the Pebble Mine, would be an economic boost for a remote region that has missed out on the North Slope oil boom and other resource-extraction development in the state over the past half century. […] But opposition has long been widespread, both in the region and statewide, with concerns about environmental damage and the potential for harming another critical resource: salmon. The fish is the main traditional subsistence food for many of the Alaska Natives in the region and the basis of both a thriving sport-fishing industry and, in nearby Bristol Bay, one of the largest commercial wild salmon fisheries in the world.” [The New York Times, 7/24/20]