Area residents testified for over an hour at the Mat-Su Borough Assembly meeting this week about the proposed West Susitna Access Road, and the sentiment was predominantly negative.
On the table was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Borough and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) to enter into Phase 3 of the West Sustina Access project.
Some residents expressed their belief that the road would solely benefit Nova Minerals, an Australian mining company. One man called AIDEA “greedy and careless”. Another pointed to the unfinished Point MacKenzie Railroad Extension and asked why the West Susitna Access Road might not suffer a similar fate.
Others felt that AIDEA has not performed the public outreach promised in Phase 2. Some affected residents reported only recently becoming aware of the project.
But the majority of participants spoke about how the Alaskan wilderness carries its own economic value. And the heritage of long established wilderness tourism in the area. For over 40 years, Kirsten Dixon and her family have run the remote Winterlake Lodge:
“My family and I base our business on the promise that guests from around the world can come to experience the wonderment of the untouched natural world. Experiencing our wild nature is the reason people come to Alaska. Tourism is a major renewable industry within our state. You might begin to understand my alarm with the prospect of a private industrial road development being considered literally right in my front yard.”
Alan Weitzner, Executive Director of AIDEA explained to the Assembly that the project is still in the pre-development stage. He said that moving to Phase 3 of the project would answer some of the public’s concerns. He described Phase 3 as inviting more public engagement through permitting and through the Environmental Impact Analysis process.
Still, the Assembly wasn’t convinced. After a long debate, Assembly Member Stephanie Nowers moved to delay the vote until the next Assembly meeting. The Assembly agreed to table the measure for another two weeks.
