Coal lease sale set

Oct. 14, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE\Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - Coal mining is a proud part of the history of Chickaloon, a place that celebrates mining's contribution to the community with the Coal Miner's Ball every spring.

Serious mining hasn't occurred in the area since 1967, but that could all change with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority's land office plan to offer competitive leases for 16,500 acres nestled above the confluence of Moose Creek and the Matanuska River, for coal exploration and development.

The lease sale is expected to occur Nov. 9, with the total parcels being offered encompassing approximately 16,500 acres.

In the past, mining efforts have been successful in the area. The Jonesville Mine posted a record-high production year in 1962, extracting more than 300,000 tons, with total production of more than 1 million tons of coal. Mines in the Chickaloon area were active in the early part of the century, providing coal for the United States Navy for use on the ships of the Pacific Fleet.

&#8221The parcel in question was originally conveyed to the Trust with the potential for generating revenue from mineral extraction,“ Mike Franger, senior mineral, oil and gas resource manager, said. &#8221We recognized the block of land had a potential for generating revenue and thought we would test the waters.“

The purpose of the sale will be to secure binding commitments to explore unencumbered Trust coal and provide for certain terms and conditions for development in the event that an economically viable coal reserve is discovered.

Chickaloon Community Council president Craig Walls is concerned about the possible return of coal mining.

&#8221No one would be happy to have a mining operation pop up in their back yard, especially when most of the people who live here moved to get away from everything,“ Walls said.

Fellow Chickaloon resident Corrie Feige echoed Wall's concerns, but believes a couple of things are working in favor of the area's residents.

&#8221First is the land,“ said Feige, who has worked on behalf of Evergreen Resources Alaska and Pioneer Resources in previous plans for coal-bed methane extraction in the Mat-Su. &#8221The geography doesn't lend itself to a large-scale mining operation. Second, Chickaloon is a special land-use district - conditional-use permits will be required for any future mining operations in the area.“

Ron Swanson, director of the borough's community development department, indicated that the borough would also be involved in any development of a mine in the area.

&#8221The borough would play the role of a mediator between the developer and the local community,“ Swanson said.

&#8221DNR would be in charge of monitoring the mining operation, but once there is a plan to begin transporting the coal across the borough, we would take a more active role.“

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@ frontiersman.com.