MineWatch.org

Ed Fogels is director of the Office of Project Management and Permitting for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources – an Alaskan governmental agency. The DNR and DNR employees such as Fogels, are tasked with oversight of the mining industry. You’d imagine that such a position would demand impartiality and unprejudiced, neutral approach. It appears that Fogels cares little for objectivism, however, as he has come out strongly in favor of the Pebble Mine project – no doubt to secure a lucrative position for himself at the Pebble Partnership when his pesky tenure with the DNR comes to a close.

Mr. Fogels has recently overseen the publication of a one-sided anti Clean Water Act page found directly off the Department of Natural Resources website. Don’t believe us? Click here .

In the introduction to his page, Fogels comments, “Through this website, the State provides factual information on the current mine permitting requirements and process, and what effect passage of Ballot Measure 4 might have on them.”

Unbiased, evenly presented, purposely emboldened informational tidbits like…

There are existing federal and state laws that prohibit discharges and other activities that would adversely affect salmon and human health.

The Ballot Measure’s language is general and less precise than language used in current federal and state law.

The Ballot Measure does not address matters such as how the law is to be applied or the penalties for violating the law.

How can Ed Fogels and a supposedly impartial state agency weigh in on a citizen initiative campaign and on the side of the industry they’re supposed to oversee? But what we really want to know is: How long after the voting is completed on Ballot Measure 4, would it be seemly for Fogels to take a position at the Pebble Partnership? We’re taking over/under bets starting right now.

In all seriousness however, it's not too much for the regular Alaskan to demand knowledge of any relationship between Fogels and the mining industry, particularly if they are to trust their government concerning such momentous environmental issues.