Coal plan draws fire


Published on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 3:28 PM AKST

Feb. 6, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Chickaloon residents are unhappy with renewed mineral exploration plans for their coal-rich Matanuska Valley town.

“We've been shafted,” Chickaloon's Lisa Stevenson said Monday.

Stevenson is concerned about a plan by Canada's Full Metal Minerals to drill exploration holes on more than 20,000 acres of land north and south of town.

Full Metal was the sole bidder on a lease sale held in August by the Alaska Mental Health Land Trust, and Stevenson said she is upset the land trust did not give local residents adequate opportunity to comment on the lease sale.

“They don't want to listen to us,” she said.

Stevenson said the test holes are the first step toward a mine that could endanger the Matanuska River watershed.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has yet to issue a final permit for Full Metal to begin drilling test holes.

The department has scheduled a public meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday in Chickaloon to discuss the issue.

According to the company's permit application, test holes could be drilled as soon as April.

However, just because holes are being drilled doesn't mean a mine is imminent.

In fact, even if economical deposits of coal were found, such a project still would be years down the road.

“This is very preliminary,” said Mike Franger, project manager for the land trust. “They're just seeing what they can find.”

Coal exploration is nothing new in the Chickaloon area. The town site was founded in 1917 around a failed plan to use coal from the area to fuel early railroad lines.

Coal from the area also has been mined for use by the U.S. Navy, and a large commercial coal mine operated in the 1950s at Castle Mountain.

The current lease area covers land both to the north and south of the town, and borders private property owned by a variety of landowners in

Chickaloon.

The Department of Natural Resources will be taking comments on the proposal through Feb. 12, after which it will make its final decision on whether to allow exploration to move

forward.

Stevenson, for one, said she hopes the mine plan will stop before test holes can be dug.

She said the area is a rich moose habitat, and she is worried about what a large-scale coal mine would do the area's ecosystem.

“Everybody in the Valley is going to be affected,” she said.

Stevenson said those she's heard from in the town are overwhelmingly opposed to any new coal mining, and she expects a big turnout Wednesday at the Chickaloon Community Center.

“It's going to be a full house,” she said.

Public comments will be taken at the meeting, and can also be emailed to the state by those unable to attend.

Anyone interested in commenting on the proposal can email DNR geologist Russell Kirkham at russell_kirkham@

dnr.state.ak.us.

Contact Matt Tunseth at

352-2265 or matt.tunseth@

frontiersman.com.

Comments

25 comment(s)

    anita wrote on Mar 7, 2009 4:08 PM:

    " It seems to me that all of you out there are more into gossip, than what could help this country, afterall, how many of your friends or aquaintances, do u know that are perfect growing up?
    you have the right to judge? u must not have a life, or anyone in your family who have had altercations in their youth that made them grow up, and furthermore, the thing that matters, is, if they turn out to be useful good members of society, right? are u perfect? exactly! "

    Gerry Ardo wrote on Nov 15, 2008 1:59 PM:

    " Umm, seems like this Palin gal drags around a whole lot of baggage! She says that she can talk, chew gum, and whistle at the same time. Some of us have serious doubts about that though. Thank God she was not "installed", oh, but wait! We have a Supreme Court in this country! Maybe it's not to late! She may yet be "installed"! "

    jill wrote on Nov 5, 2008 6:15 AM:

    " HEY THATS ME!!! lol i just see this now when i get board and google my name, how bout that. You guys talkin about track shut up, hes a cool cat AND he didnt do shiet with the busses by the way. "

    LMAO wrote on Oct 28, 2008 9:04 PM:

    " You realize California gal that this story was posted in 2005, when the boy WAS 16?? You realize that's why it didn't name names?? Like, OMG, you make me, like, ashamed that I'm from California!! Do some research before posting!! "

    The Truth wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:48 AM:

    " I believe it!! Political Candidates do it all the time to protect the FAMILY!! Just another example of her skills as a MOTHER!! "

    Michigan Lady wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:48 AM:

    " I don't think this is true because he was a juvenille when it happen. However, it is an indication that Palin may have a dysfunctional family system. "

    Michiganvoter wrote on Oct 1, 2008 5:53 PM:

    " This would explain why the boy came to Michigan to attend high school. I mean, even though Alaska is "closest to Russia", he would not be considered as a foriegn exchange student. Also, in the last few years, more districts have had bus vandalism. Perhaps he taught our kids how to do it. Is this why he is in the service? "

    Marci Bereu wrote on Sep 24, 2008 3:25 PM:

    " My cuz, an Alaska resident since leaving the military (he was in intelligence & asked to go CIA after discharge...what I'm saying is, he only gives facts)

    The report is true, including going into the army to avoid jail. I'm sure strings can be pulled for kids of VIP parents. "

    Steve McAdam wrote on Sep 16, 2008 4:19 PM:

    " The article could refer to any 16 yr old youth - on what basis do you, or can, you conclude this is about Track Palin? This seems to be a wholey unjustifed inference. Another example of wanting to believe the worst to shore up one's partisan bias. "

    California Gal wrote on Sep 16, 2008 3:23 PM:

    " I don't think this story is true because once a child turns 18, his/her juvenile record is sealed and he/she is given a fresh start, negating the whole "join the army or go to jail" theory of Track's enlistment. And even though I'm a card-carrying Democrat from California, I'M TIRED OF THE GAMES! Let's focus on issues, people! "

    Doug Polcin wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:49 AM:

    " Could it not be more obvious that Palin cannot manage her own family? Unwanted pregnancy, juveline delinquent son, and God knows what is next. This woman's family is a disaster area and she will be a nightmare for our country. "

    Will wrote on Sep 13, 2008 6:31 PM:

    " Demswrong, obviously you haven't been paying attention. If you've been listening to Barack Obama, you would know that he's been sticking to the issues in every speech he's made. It's the McCain camp that continues to run a dirty campaign by attacking Obama, hiding Sarah Palin from the media and not educating the American people their plan to get us out of the mess that old George and the Republican party has put us in. So much baggage around this pick, the pregnancy no one noticed, the investigation around her ex-brother in-law and so on. "

    Log Dog wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:27 PM:

    " Sabotaging public facilities and equipment in a way that could cause serious injury or death is a form of terrorism. Think about it. "

    Fran wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:32 PM:

    " Desperation her. No Names except two mentioned and no value in the lies that have grown from this even. "

    DEMSWRONG wrote on Sep 10, 2008 4:15 PM:

    " YOU people need to get a life and get back to politics not looking for past dirt on people. get a da** life!!!!!!! and not it wasn't him that was involved it was a another punk that did it.believe me i know all of them involved. so go dig up some dirt on someone your own size!!!! "

    Rock Roll wrote on Sep 9, 2008 9:42 AM:

    " This just keeps getting better & better. This is just another reason Sarah isn't giving interviews...absolutely incredible. This like a soap opra...stay tuned. "

    wes wrote on Sep 8, 2008 8:08 AM:

    " Sue, do you by any chance mean you were accepted at WELLESLEY, Harvard, and Stanford? I would think someone as smart as you would know how to spell that name. You are right that Barack Obama is vrey intelligent and that does not threaten me as it seems to threaten so many people. I think it will be a great change of pace to have a smart president. "

    Jay wrote on Sep 6, 2008 4:58 PM:

    " Why can't you people take the truth. No way will McCain/Palin win. Oh of course if they steal the election which by now the Repubs are masters at. "

    Sue wrote on Sep 6, 2008 1:14 AM:

    " 16, male, are you crazy? Why does this come up now that Gov Palin is running w/Sen McCain? More garbage, who is behind this? Obviously the Obama camp. Did you realize he went to the the most expensive, elite Academy in the nation? Punahou is the Harvard of High School, the elite of the nation. I was accepted to Wesley, Harvard & Stanford & disappointed & bored as we learned in our Sophmore and Junior yrs the curriculum taught in college. But boys will be boys & Obama was Barry Obama! "

    Foobar wrote on Sep 5, 2008 2:59 PM:

    " Pwned.

    The entire Palin family is like a well-dressed episode of Jerry Springer. "

    MrUniteUs wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:31 AM:

    " Very serious if true. The brake lines were cut on 50 buses!!

    Was Sarah Palin's son "Track Palin" arrested for vandalism ... Most recently there is discussion that Track Palin, then 16, was one of the 3 boys arrested for vandalizing 44 Mat-Su school buses - an incident that forced ...
    answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080904193702AAGlSCL - "

    aklocal wrote on Sep 2, 2008 8:07 PM:

    " I remember that story. Timeline makes it loosely plausible. Don't think this will catch fire without more fuel, though. Good luck. "

    Destyne Pope wrote on Feb 12, 2008 4:20 AM:

    " How do you get out there when you are blind? You must be really brave "

    vacation wrote on Jan 30, 2008 12:39 PM:

    " Hi! I'm John Strass and i like your site!
    Thank you! "

    Nyakeh Sam Suale wrote on Nov 14, 2007 10:59 AM:

    " I think i love Wasilla High More than all high schools in the United States. They have the best Soccer team and coaches....oh.. they won the Basketball State Championship at the Sullivan Arena....Thats so cute. I like all the students over there. "

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comments must be approved by an editor before appearing on the Web site. Editors review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.

(optional)
Current Word Count:
   




Classifieds




Make Us Your Homepage