Usibelli, DNR plan meeting tonight

MAT-SU — Usibelli Coal Mine and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources will hold a public meeting today at Sutton Elementary School.

The meeting will discuss the coal company's application for a two-year renewal on leases it holds to do exploration in the Wishbone Hill area. The informal meeting begins at 5 p.m. with a question-and-answer period from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Usibelli plans to start drilling holes to study the local geology. Access will be through its own private, gated “exploration trail” which, the company says, should avoid routing traffic through Buffalo Mine Road.

The company says it plans to drill around 20 holes in the next two years. Over the past 30 years, more than 250 similar holes have been drilled in the area.