FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 22, 2004 No. 04-070

Environmental Center Should Withdraw Pogo Appeal

(Juneau) - Governor Frank H. Murkowski today added his voice to those of
the Alaska Legislature's Interior Delegation in asking the Northern Alaska
Environmental Center to withdraw their permit appeal on the Pogo Mine.

"There is a right way and a wrong way to do things," Murkowski said,
"and clearly, Northern Alaska Environmental Center has chosen the wrong
path. What kind of message is the Center trying to send to Alaskans
when after four years of working with the mining company through the
permit process they choose to bring up new issues and lodge their appeal
a mere 72 hours before it was to become final?

"It was the wrong thing to do and it has violated the trust of everyone
who worked so hard to bring the Pogo mine to life. After behaving in
this fashion, it is hard to imagine any company or group of citizens
wanting to work out environmental issues with the Northern Alaska
Environmental Center. This would truly be a bitter legacy for the
Center's Board of Directors.

"I am gravely disappointed by the fact that the appeal sent more than
300 hardworking Alaskans to the unemployment line, and it becomes a far
more serious issue for Delta Junction and Fairbanks. Plans for the
development of Pogo called for the employment of more than 500 people
and the expenditure of some $500 million. Those are jobs and purchases
important to the region, and counted upon by a lot of Alaskans. The
Northern Alaska Environmental Center's ill-advised actions totally
disrupt this process and place the entire future of this important
mining project in the hands of people who have no stake in the outcome.

"The good news is that it is not too late for the Center to do the right
thing. I urge the Northern Alaska Environmental Center to reconsider
its action, withdraw the permit appeal and sit down with Teck Cominco,
the State of Alaska, and the Environmental Protection Agency to work out
any misunderstandings that may still exist. In doing this there is
still time to restore the trust placed in the Center by all of the other
people who have worked so long and hard with them on the project.