PURPOSE: Usibelli Coal Mine’s stated purpose is to extract commercial quantities of coal and reclaim the mining area to establish stable post-mining slopes, drainage configuration, and self-sustaining vegetation community consistent with wildlife habitats.
LOCATION: The project site is located within Fairbanks Meridian; USGS Quad Map Healy-D4; Latitude 63.8652º N., Longitude -148.7747º W.; Usibelli Coal Mine, near Healy, Alaska.
PROPOSED WORK: Usibelli proposes the discharge of fill material into waters of the United States (U.S.) to support coal mining activities within the Rosalie Mine area over a 20 year period. The discharges are to access the mining area, control surface and pit drainage, remove overburden and interburden material, and recover and remove the coal. The proposed project would involve the discharge of approximately 106,000 cubic yards (cy) of topsoil and 20 million cy of overburden and interburden material into 4.6 acres of wetlands, 12.7 acres of non-wetland waters, and 383.3 acres of uplands. Mining activities would be planned in sequence, from blocks 1 through 7. Reclamation of mine disturbance areas would occur contemporaneously with the mining operations. All work would be performed in accordance with the enclosed plan (sheets 1-17), dated January 2018.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) permit approved 11/3/2014; Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fish Habitat Permit pending; Alaska Pollution discharge Elimination System permit, pending.
All comments should reach this office no later than the expiration date of this Public Notice to become part of the record and be considered in the decision. Please contact John Sargent at (907) 474-2166 by fax at (907) 474-2164, or by email at John.C.Sargent@usace.army.mil if further information is desired concerning this notice.
POA-2014-375, Healy Creek_PN