Usibelli offers coal mining ‘facts’

To the editor:

In the past, there have been a few opinion pieces published in this paper regarding Usibelli’s potential mine at Wishbone Hill. Some of them have contained exaggerations, misrepresentations or other falsehoods; however, nothing compares to the opinion piece “Assembly should reject DeVilbiss resolution."

The writer had stopped by the Usibelli office a number of months ago, was given the informational brochure on the Wishbone Hill project and invited back to sit down with Usibelli staff for a project briefing (he has yet to call). The writer had the information in front of him, if he wanted to use it. Instead, he wrote an opinion piece that is both irresponsible and inaccurate.

While the writer claims to not oppose Usibelli’s Healy operations, he says he’s opposed to a mine at Wishbone Hill because of “mountaintop mining.”

The Wishbone Hill mine will be a surface mine, similar to the Healy operations, and will not remove the tops of any mountains.

There is environmental conservation in surface mining. Usibelli began restoring previously mined lands even before it was required by the government. Usibelli’s successful reclamation practices in Healy are an excellent example of environmental stewardship. The reclamation plan for Wishbone Hill focuses on moose habitat and recreation.

If coal from Wishbone Hill is exported through Port MacKenzie, the entire borough will benefit from wharfage and dockage fees, as well as lease payments. The borough’s socio-economic study shows benefits to the use of Port MacKenzie will be about $1 million per year. That is on top of what Usibelli pays in property taxes.

The Alaska Surface Coal Mining Control and Reclamation Act (Alaska Statute 27.21) exists to provide oversight and protect the environment through the regulation of coal mining activities.

There are plenty of places on earth, during numerous times in history, where a community has benefitted from coal mining — specifically Healy. Usibelli Coal Mine has operated in Healy since 1943 and is a third-generation, Alaskan-owned-and-operated company.

Healy has the highest per-capita income in the state and is only 10 miles north of Denali National Park — the most popular tourist destination in Alaska. Healy is a coal-mining town that has benefitted from good-paying jobs, with health care and retirement benefits, for decades. The community is strong and healthy, as are property values. When people have good-paying jobs, they can afford to buy land and build homes. There are second-, third-, even fourth-generation employees working for Usibelli in Healy.

Finally, the last paragraph of the opinion piece asserts that a few social and moral ills are attributable to coal mining, which is so bizarre, inappropriate and outrageous that I will not give credit to it by responding. However, I will say that coal miners — like most hard-working human beings — show respect for honor and truth, and do not defame other people just because they do not share their point of view.

Usibelli Coal Mine will wrap up its feasibility study within the next few months and will then make a decision whether or not to develop the Wishbone Hill mine. Until then, please do not hesitate to contact our office if you would like to discuss the project, wishbonehill@usibelli.com.

Lorali Simon

External Affairs

Manager

Usibelli Coal Mine