Steve Borell, Alaska Miners Association

My name is Steve Borell, I am Executive Director of the Alaska Miners Association and I am testifying on behalf of the Association.  The Alaska Miners Association was founded in 1939 and represents all aspects of the mining industry including prospectors, engineers, family mines and major mining companies. 

We urge that the OCS areas of Alaska, and elsewhere in the United States, be opened to oil & gas exploration and development as soon as possible.  The U.S. needs the oil and gas that is in these areas for our economy, for our political security, for our military security, and to maintain existing jobs and create new jobs for our citizens.  These goals can be met by developing our domestic energy sources, including the OCS. 

The mining industry is dependent on a stable supply of energy.  Mining requires large amounts of energy and much of that energy must be in the form of diesel fuel.  Mobil equipment for both surface and underground mines depends on diesel powered loaders, trucks, dozers, excavators, and all manner of support equipment.  In 2008 we were painfully reminded of these facts when fuel prices rose to all-time highs. 

The United States today is effectively a political hostage to countries in the Middle East that are often not our friends.  When we buy oil from these areas we become dependent on these countries and compromise our ability to defend our friends, including Israel. 

Oil and gas development in Alaska has been proven to be environmentally safe.  Oil and gas operations on Alaska’s North Slope are the finest in the world and they continue to improve.  Off shore platforms in Cook Inlet have operated for many decades and these too have an excellent environmental performance record.   

We urge that the OCS of Alaska, and of the lower-48 states, be opened for development of oil & gas and that this be done in a legally defensible way and at the earliest possible time.