People need to stand up for rights

To the editor:

Mayor Larry DeVilbiss and the Mat-Su Borough Assembly passed a pro-coal resolution last month based upon misinformation presented by the Usibelli Coal Mine company. At the October borough meeting, residents vocally opposed the manipulation of the political process and expressed discontent with the Usibelli Coal Mine.

Usibelli suggests it has a clean track record. If you look at its MSHA record you will find the truth. The company has a record of violating safety and environmental standards meant to protect workers and the community. Since 2008, the company has had 199 violations and citations totaling $368,208 in penalties. According to the MSHA website, Usibelli Coal Mine has only paid $65,827. Operator injury rates at the mine in Healy have been three times higher than the national incident rate.

Usibelli states it has kept the Wishbone Hill coal strip mine fully permitted. The assembly wrote as much in its resolution: “completely permitted since 1992.” How is this true since the company does not have an air quality permit for the proposed mine? The company has recently withdrawn its application for the Department of Environmental Conservation air permit due to inadequate information.

Assembly members also support coal strip mining in a residential community due to Usibelli Coal Mine stating that coal will likely be exported through Port MacKenzie. Economics seem to indicate rail to Seward will be used, and the borough won’t receive any wharfage fees.

What else does Usibelli Coal Mine misrepresent? The company stated it had no interest in the other coal mining leases in Sutton and Chickaloon. The owner of the leases, the Mental Health Land Trust, has now publically stated otherwise.

Should we trust a company that has a record of misrepresenting its record and plans, and in so doing, has manipulated residents and community leaders for support?

Where will Usibelli stop? Will it pursue coal bed methane here like it is doing near Healy?

Usibelli Coal Mine is being joined by companies from other states and countries, some of which don’t even have coal mining experience. If our decision-makers let them, these corporations will turn a big chunk of our community into a dirty coal strip mine while we the people subsidize the industry through higher health care bills and bigger budgets for port expansions and roads. It is time for residents to reject corporate propaganda and stand up for our rights. We can’t afford to do anything else.

Tim Leach

Palmer