Alaska voters weighing in: salmon vs. gold

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ALASKA_PEBBLE_MINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-10-02-11-47-46

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- The battle over a copper and gold mine near one of the world's premiere salmon fisheries is headed to the ballot in a vote next week that has turned a normally sleepy local election into a national environmental debate.

Voters in southwest Alaska's Lake and Peninsula Borough are deciding whether to ban large-scale resource extraction activity, including mining, that would destroy or degrade salmon habitat. The measure is aimed squarely at Pebble Mine, the massive gold-and-copper prospect near the headwaters of Bristol Bay.

The debate surrounding Pebble has attracted the attention of chefs, Robert Redford and big-name jewelers who have vowed not to sell any gold coming from the project

But Tuesday's vote will almost certainly not be the last word on how - or whether - the mine is built.

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. My guess is the salmon is going to lose.

[onehandle]

2. Which industry employs more Americans?

My guess is with the tasty, tasty fish.

[sulphurdunn]

3. Salmon

The Sockeye (Red) Salmon is the only filter feeding salmon and possibly the only filter feeding salmonid, but I'm not sure about that.