Whoa. Of the 50 minerals and metals critical to the United States, Alaska has 49. But if they’re buried, what good are they? Leaders in our nation’s capital and those here at home who want to advance renewable energy need to realize their hopes and dreams will go down the tubes unless they wake up and promote policies to expand domestic mineral production.
Those leaders who side with extreme environmentalists are fooling themselves if they think we can and should rely on foreign sources instead of mining here in the US, including in Alaska.
First, the quantity needed will be insufficient without domestic mining if these leaders truly want renewables to be the majority of America’s energy portfolio.
Secondly, if we assume these leaders and environmental activists want renewables because they want to reduce carbon emissions to address climate change, those who oppose mining in Alaska or elsewhere in the USA are not being honest with themselves. By pushing mining to other places on the globe where it is not done to high standards like it is here, where responsible stewardship is not a priority, they are giving the nod to operations that are damaging the environment, increasing pollution, and accelerating climate change.
Anyone who supports curtailing mining in Alaska and the US and supports moving toward renewable energy sources and away from oil and gas is a hypocrite, plain and simple.
It’s time for a wake-up call. It’s time for honesty. It’s time for more mines and more mining in Alaska.
