Borough makes another try at regulating gravel mining

PALMER – The borough is seeking input on the newest version of its gravel-mining ordinance.

According to a borough press release, the ordinance constitutes a compromise with the gravel industry. An ordinance passed in April 2008 outlawed mining into the water table, except for those operations that were already doing it. An attempt in September of that year to replace that ordinance with one allowing more mining failed.

From now until July 6, the borough is seeking written comment on this third installment of a gravel-mining ordinance.

The new ordinance comes out of the borough’s planning department. Previous attempts at an ordinance came out of a working group including borough planners but also gravel industry representatives and concerned citizens.

The borough says the new ordinance addresses some of the concerns that kept the borough assembly from adopting the modified ordinance in September, most notably those of Tom Kluberton, who said at the time that any ordinance that doesn’t include requirements for reclaiming the graveled land is irresponsible.

“State statutes are sparse regarding these standards and allow borough government to make sure the quality and value of the community is protected and that the economic benefits of the gravel industry are sustained,” Kluberton said in a borough press release. “This ordinance attempts to accomplish these goals in harmony.”

The new ordinance, according to the borough, requires gravel miners to document the water table elevation, drill test wells and periodically test water quality. Gravel miners will also have to take out $10 million in general liability insurance and $2.5 million in environmental pollution insurance. Reclamation standards are also included in the ordinance.

Tom Healy, Executive Director of Alaska Rock Products Association, said Friday that he is in the process of reviewing the 76-page ordinance and coming up with comments on it. As such, he said, he didn’t have a position as to whether the ordinance was good or bad.

“This latest effort, which results in the draft we see now was prepared by borough staff … the association has not been involved in that. We had asked to be but were not allowed to participate,” Healy said.

He described some areas of borough concern as necessary to gravel mining.

“One of the issues, I think particularly in the issue of mining below the water table, is protecting water quality,” he said. “Those are necessary standards to protect the water quality and volume and the industry, I think, it’s in their interest as well to do that.”

As for the reclamation standards, he pointed out that the state already has some standards in place, but the borough requirements might change some things for the industry.

“I think particularly smaller operators will see more of an impact in terms of application requirements,” he said.

But, he said, gravel is important to the borough.

“It’s a resource of the area and the industry is here because of that. It is an industrial operation, one of the few in the borough,” Healy said.

Asked to predict if the public hearings this go-round will be as well-attended as they were last time – when gravel miners filled the borough assembly chambers to capacity – Healy said he’d just have to wait and see.

“It does gain a lot of attention, yes. We’ll see how the hearings go in terms of what people’s comments are,” he said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.