This first ever economic summit in Kotzebue was presented by the Northwest Arctic Borough, Arctic Slope Borough, and the Resource Development Council. The summit attracted attendees from government, finance, both for profit and non profit Native organizations, as well as students and villagers from Kotzebue and surrounding villages. The event was broadcast live all three days over local radio.

Of principal interest was Cominco/NANA’s Red Dog Mine -- the world’s largest zinc mine. 100% in capacity improvements will be made to meet the forty plus year life expectancy of the facility. Processed zinc is trucked 54 miles to the DeLong Mountain Terminal (DMT) at tidewater on the Chukchi Sea. DMT is a complete facility with two storage buildings, by far the largest buildings in Alaska. A concerted effort is underway to extend the loading pier further into the waterway to allow direct loading of the ocean going cargo ships.

The largest known coal reserve -- Western Arctic Coal -- is in the southeast Arctic Slope Borough. D.O.T. is starting the Northern Arctic Transportation Plan study with an eye to getting that coal to market. A popular plan is to build rail or road south from the fields to intersect the DMT road from Red Dog in order to ship coal from that northern port in summer months.

The summit stressed Traditional Knowledge as the guide to resource development - all economic development must be planned in a fashion that meets the need of the culture and lifestyle of the people of the region.

People of the Arctic are seeing the successes of economic development and are actively planning for the future.