Five Early Dividend Winners Selected
Anchorage, AK – In June, the Pebble Partnership established the Pebble Performance Dividend (PPD) and following the first month of enrollment, five Bristol Bay residents’ names were drawn to receive $1000 dividends starting later this year and continuing until the start up of construction when the full program will begin.
Early dividend winner Charlie Morey of Newhalen said the following upon hearing he had been selected: “I view the Pebble Performance Dividend as an act of goodwill for the future. It is evidence of Pebble's concern for the people and goal of creating opportunities in the Bristol Bay region.”
The registration window for the PPD remains open through the end of August and Pebble CEO Tom Collier recently announced that the company would offer three additional early dividends for qualified residents who sign up by August 31. There will also be a grand prize drawing for a 2021 Honda four-wheeler for all registrants who have signed up for the program.
“We have been hearing from people signing up for the dividend that they appreciate the opportunity and that the company took this step. We have people supportive of the project signing up and people opposed to the project signing up. My message to Bristol Bay residents is that if you are interested in the program, now is the time to sign up. As the saying goes, you need to be in it to win it,” said Collier.
Registrants can leave comments or ask questions via the application. Following are a few of the comments received about the PPD program:
“I hope that this works. I really think with mining and fishing that we can have both and see how things progress. Thank you for this opportunity.” (Dillingham)
“Thank you Pebble for this opportunity.” (Nondalton)
“Thank you guys. I am hopeful that we can get this going. This whole region needs the economic boost of the Pebble Project.” (Dillingham)
“We support jobs and economic development for our area. We need jobs and a better future for our kids and grandkids.” (Newhalen)
Participation in the program is strictly confidential and registrants do not have to support or oppose the mine in order to qualify. The program is open to all year-round residents of Bristol Bay that are 18 years of age or older. The company has committed to paying the dividend to qualified participants upon the start of project construction and has said it will provide a minimum $3 million-dollar annual payment to the fund for dividends. Collier indicated that internal financial models show that once the Pebble mine becomes profitable that the net profits dividend is expected to be substantial.