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Issue 75 | February , 2024
Message from the President & CEO
NANA Government Affairs Director Niiqsik Ferguson , President / CEO of Maniilaq Association Tim Gilbert , NWABSD Superintendent Terri Walker , Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly President Nathan Hadley , Governor Mike Dunleavy , NANA President / CEO John Lincoln , NWABSD Board President Margaret Hansen , Northwest Arctic Borough Mayor Dickie Moto , NANA Vice President of Economic Development and Sustainability Albie Dallemolle .
Dear Shareholders ,
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends and are enjoying our increasing daylight . Our team at NANA ended this past year with work on the 2023 NANA Annual Report . Multiple departments worked together to assemble the information you need to review NANA ’ s performance in 2023 and prepare for the upcoming NANA Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Kiana , Alaska , on March 23 , 2024 .
We hope you can join us in Kiana or connect to the meeting virtually . Instructions on how to attend the meeting in-person or remotely are provided in your Annual Report and Proxy packet . The packets were mailed between Feb . 2-9 , 2024 , and you should receive yours in the coming days and weeks .
PRSRT STD U . S . Postage
PAID
Anchorage , AK
Permit No . 444
You will find information on how to vote your proxy in this issue of The Hunter . There are multiple ways to vote , and we encourage every shareholder who receives a proxy to do so . Voting information is also contained in your proxy packet . For more information about the upcoming annual meeting , please refer to page 8 .
NANA represents a collective effort by all of us to create a better future for all shareholders . Our leadership is actively involved in various important groups , like the Northwest Arctic Leadership Team ( NWALT ) and the Inuit Circumpolar Conference ( ICC ), to ensure your voice is heard in decisions affecting our lands and people . In late January , NWALT traveled to meet with political leadership in Juneau to discuss our shared priorities . We will head to Washington , D . C ., in March to work with our congressional delegation and other policymakers on advancing our regional and corporation priorities .
One of our most important regional priorities is extending the life of Red Dog Mine . Red Dog is scheduled to run out of ore in 2031 , but there are mineral opportunities adjacent to the current mine site that could extend operations well into the future . It is important that we find a path forward to securing shareholder jobs and the regional economy .
In 2023 , more than 980 shareholders , spouses and descendants were employed at the mine , earning $ 62.8 million in wages . Over 600 shareholders were employed directly by our partner , Teck Resources . Hundreds more were employed by NANA companies , providing critical services to mine operations through our whollyowned subsidiary , NANA North .
Red Dog Mine is also a major driver of our regional economy , providing about 80 % of the Northwest Arctic Borough ' s budget . The royalties we receive from mining operations are an important income source for future shareholder dividends . We must take all necessary steps to make sure Red Dog and its benefits are part of our future .
Apart from working on extending mine life , other opportunities are being evaluated on NANA lands . One is the Ambler Access Project ( AAP ), which is discussed on pages 2 – 3 . AAP is a proposed 211-mile industrial-access road that would link the Ambler Mining District in our region to the Dalton Highway at Milepost 161 . Transportation infrastructure would be necessary to develop any potential mineral resources in this area . The district is situated near the villages of Ambler , Kobuk and Shungnak .
NANA ' s board of directors has identified necessary criteria that must be met before NANA would even consider issuing a right-of-way ( ROW ) for the construction of AAP across our lands , ( including our selected lands described in our comments ).
Published by NANA Regional Corporation , Inc .
These criteria include , but are not limited to :
• Controlled , permitted access along the entire route in perpetuity .
• Community benefits .
• Shareholder jobs and workforce development .
• Protection of caribou migration , fish and other subsistence resources .
NANA is evaluating the project to determine if these criteria can be met . Additionally , and most importantly , we are evaluating the project to ensure that AAP will not compromise our land ownership rights or disrupt our Iñupiat way of life , which is based on our connection to our lands , waters and subsistence .
Finally , on pages 6 – 7 , you ' ll learn about the great work of our businesses Akima and NANA North . Both companies continue to perform above expectations , and we are excited about their future .
We have many opportunities ahead of us this year and our team is ready to meet the tasks at hand . We work hard to get the job done well because we are working for a mission more important than any single person – we are working to improve the quality of life for 15,000 of our friends and family , NANA shareholders . It is an honor and privilege to serve you , and we will continue to do all we can to ensure we build on the success and momentum of recent years .
Quyana for your continued support . Respectfully ,
John Lincoln , President & CEO
P . O . Box 49 Kotzebue , AK 99752