Meet AIDEA: investing in enterprise infrastructure.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: INDUSTRIAL FINANCING

As the relatively-new head of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), John Springsteen is focusing on a number of important issues concerning mining and resource development: responsible resource development, access, and enterprise infrastructure.

Regarding responsible resource development, Springsteen says Alaska is abundant with renewable and nonrenewable resources. Renewables include everything from timber, fish, and game to beautiful places that attract tourism. Nonrenewable resources like oil, natural gas, and minerals earn money to pay for services and to build savings for all Alaskans. "I believe Alaska has a good model for developing its nonrenewable resources while maintaining these renewable resources, balancing between subsistence, environment, and development," he says.

For example, AIDEA owns the road and port that service the Red Dog Mine, a massive lead and zinc mine located about eighty miles north of Kotzebue. The road to the mine is curved and slightly sloped to facilitate the migration of the dwindling Western Arctic Caribou Herd, and when the leaders of the herd begin to traverse the road, all transit stops. In fact, that's what happened when Springsteen visited Red Dog last year. He explains: "We were driving from the port to the mine to catch a return flight to Anchorage, and caribou had started to cross the road. We turned around and went back to the port, and there we overheard cousins calling cousins with messages like, 'The herd is on the way!' and, 'Fill the freezer!' We waited and waited and ended up flying back the next day. The point is, the rules are well worth the result: a successful passage of thousands of caribou."

The issue of access continues to "hamstring" resource development in the state, Springsteen says. "When I discuss access, I am talking about permission to put infrastructure in place to be able to access a resource," he says. "Working with developers and communities to be able to access resources throughout the state is crucial in order for the development that pays for Alaska's services and fills Alaska's savings account to take place."

With the proper permissions for access in place, AIDEA's focus is on investing in enterprise infrastructure. Enterprise infrastructure, according to Springsteen, consists of all the things necessary to support resource development. Depending on the resource involved, this could encompass roads and pads, docks, industrial facilities, heat...