A former publicist for the Pebble Limited Partnership, which
hopes to build a massive copper, gold and molybdenum mine in Southwest Alaska,
has been appointed as fisheries advisor to Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell.
The appointment of Ben Mohr, who also served on the board of
directors of the Alaska Miners Association from 2012 to 2013, was effective in
early July.
The governor’s office provided a copy of Mohr’s resume,
which notes his work history includes being a public affairs specialist for the
Pebble Limited Partnership from 2007 to 2013 and serving as campaign manager
for Republican Senate hopeful Dan Sullivan, who was appointed by former Gov.
Sarah Palin as Alaska’s attorney general in 2009, and later became commissioner
of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Mohr, a graduate of Alaska Pacific University, with a
bachelor’s degree in outdoor studies, also lists among his accomplishments
being vice chair of the Alaska Humanities Forum and a fellow of the National
Conservation Leadership Institute.
His resume makes no mention of any accomplishment or
affiliations in any area of commercial or sport fishing.
The governor’s office said he was not available for an
interview.
Both the Pebble Limited Partnership and state of Alaska are
suing the EPA, alleging that the federal agency has exceeded its authority in
proposing restrictions that would halt development of the mine at the
headwaters of the Bristol Bay watershed, home and spawning grounds for the
world’s largest wild sockeye salmon fishery.
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