ANCHORAGE—A statewide poll conducted for the Alaska House Finance Committee shows that 78.8% of Alaskans support moving forward with environmental studies to determine whether the Pebble Project should be developed.

Hellenthal and Associates, which also is the Alaska polling firm of record for the highly visible, anti-Pebble Renewable Resources Coalition, interviewed 403 Alaskans for the survey, asking questions that ranged from budget priorities to state ownership of an Alaska gas pipeline.

Included in the survey, which had a margin of error of 4.88%, was a question asking respondents if they favored or opposed “going forward with environmental impact studies for the proposed Pebble Mine to determine whether or not the mine could be developed in a responsible manner.”

Only 19% of those interviewed opposed the project moving forward, while 2.6% were undecided with respect
to Pebble.

“This firmly supports our position that Alaskans believe resource projects deserve a thorough hearing,” said Truth About Pebble Chairman Dick Cattanach. “This project is experiencing a significant increase in the groundswell of public support for allowing it to move forward through exploration and permitting.”

Former House Speaker Gail Phillips said she is highly encouraged with the results, which are as high as recent annual polls conducted by the oil and gas industry supporting the opening of ANWR to oil and gas development.

“Over the past 10-year period, ANWR has enjoyed between 70% and 80% support from the Alaskan public in a poll commissioned annually by the oil and gas industry,” Phillips said. “This shows that Alaskans recognize the significant contribution to our economy that Pebble could bring, with 1,000 long-term operating jobs over the project’s 50- to 80-year life.”

Truth About Pebble was formed in late January and has grown to more than 400 members in the past twomonths. The membership of the organization is double the reported membership of the anti-Pebble Renewable Resources Coalition.

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