Villages to get multimillion-dollar payments from mine owner

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Monday, May 22nd, 2017 7:10am

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NOME, Alaska (AP) — Eleven villages in Alaska's northwest arctic borough will soon get yearly multimillion-dollar payments from the operator of a mine in the region in lieu of the company paying taxes.

KNOM reports that the money will come from Teck Alaska, the operator of Red Dog Mine, where zinc and lead are gathered.

KNOM reports that this year, $11 million in profits from Red Dog Mine will be put into a Village Improvement Fund, as well as between $4 million and 8 million annually for the next nine years.

Northwest Arctic Borough Chief of Staff Patrick Savok tells the radio station that assures that each community will have a say in how the money will be used.

Savok says: "The two main stipulations of the agreement, after establishing this Village Improvement Fund, are targeted at critical infrastructure and programs for the eleven villages."

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