Alaska Sen. Sullivan visits Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta residents

BETHEL, Alaska (AP) – U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, visited 11 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta villages in four days last week.

KYUK-AM reports Sullivan talked with local residents about jobs and erosion, and discussed their concerns about the proposed Donlin gold mine.

Mine developers promise to bring more than 3,200 jobs at the height of its construction, and 1,000 annually to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, one of Alaska’s most impoverished regions.

Sullivan wouldn’t say outright whether he supports the mine, but says the permitting process could be streamlined.

Sullivan says that the main problem is getting funding that is already available delivered to those communities who need it. He says funding was increased for the Denali Commission, a federal agency that is helping some communities move. But, he says the best solutions will come from community members.
—
Information from: KYUK-AM, http://www.kyuk.org

The post Alaska Sen. Sullivan visits Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta residents appeared first on Newstalk 750 – 103.7 KFQD.