The public interest components of the NEPA legislation and the EIS process are being lost with this approach to hard-rock mine permitting. It may be that the state permitting staff are diligent with their considerations of the laws and all the details of these projects. The public, however, is being sidelined.

Studies show man camps increase violence and crime and place a strain on Native community infrastructures such as law enforcement, healthcare, emergency medical services and other social services.

The Roadshow offers opportunities to meet with DOT personnel and give them feedback. ASAH encourages everyone to participate and get involved.

All of us should have the opportunity to participate in government through our representatives. But this is not what is happening.

Corridor study forecasts 10 more wrecks every year along the trucking route.

Engineering update on route safety and bridge conditions to be presented.

Perhaps it is time to review and update Alaska’s highway laws.

Break-down yard will double Manh Choh mine traffic between Fox and Cleary Summit.

Even though the Kinross loads may be legal based on a calculated weight formula, the truck weight would exceed the load rating on 17 of the existing bridges on the route and five of those bridges could be damaged or fail with intense use.

Every weight load over the operating rating takes a little piece of life out of a bridge and when you permit extra heavy loads crossing repeatedly, then you accelerate that decline.

In Alaska, when a 95-foot-long 80-ton ore-train is at fault in an accident, will Kinross take responsibility for the wreck, or pass the buck to their subcontractor Black Gold Transport?

Alaska should withhold any action on these permits until after an EIS and the corridor study have been completed.