Proposed gravel mining ordinance a compromise

MAT-SU—The Borough is seeking comment on a proposed Materials Extraction Ordinance. The aim is to preserve the economic benefits of mining while ensuring that mined lands are returned to a usable condition.

The public review period for this proposed ordinance begins today and ends July 6th.

Last October, Assembly Member Tom Kluberton had asked for an ordinance that provides reclamation standards, strict protections while working within the water table and a funding mechanism to pay for monitoring and enforcement.

“State statutes are sparse regarding these standards and allow Borough government to make sure the quality and value of the community is protected and that the economic benefits of the gravel industry are sustained,” Kluberton said. “This ordinance attempts to accomplish these goals in harmony.”

Reclamation requirements would help bring mined land back to a useful state, protect air and water quality, and improve the overall aesthetics of the MAT-SU Borough. A basic component of the proposed ordinance is to require gravel pits to be covered with a protective layer of topsoil and vegetation after they are mined.

Gravel mining companies will be allowed to mine within the water table in the proposed Borough ordinance with significant protections in place. Right now, regulations prohibit mining operations from extracting gravel within four feet of the water table except for the few companies with grandfather rights.

Other requirements proposed in the new ordinance are post-mining reclamation requirements and documentation of water table elevation, test wells, periodic water quality testing, and liability insurance requirements. Without such standards, a gravel pit could potentially be mined so close to the water table that the land is not suitable to use afterward.

At issue for the Assembly is how to protect our water and land, while also supporting an industry that supplies vital construction materials for roads and buildings as well as 150 or more local jobs. The fast population growth in the MAT-SU increases the concern for future water quality and supply.

This proposed ordinance was developed after conversations with industry leaders such as the Alaska Rock Product Association. Technical review came from the Deputy State Geologist of Washington who administers that state's mining regulatory programs. At the request of the Assembly, additional review was provided by the Center for Science in Public Participation. The non-profit Center has staff with experience in the mining industry, academia, and government. Parts of the draft also have been reviewed by local hydrologists, geologists, engineers, scientists, drinking water well drillers, and representatives from the State Departments of Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources.

Some 87,000 residents live in the MAT-SU. Most people, including inside the cities, draw their drinking water from wells. Groundwater and surface water are connected. Mining into groundwater can divert it, causing water levels in wells to drop. Similarly, punching into an aquifer under pressure can cause water to percolate up and flood the surface. The new ordinance aims to prevent both types of occurrences.

A few of the additional application requirements for mining below the water table include:

• A professional hydrologic investigation report of the area to be mined, including a determination of the potential negative effects of the mining;

• Identification of all drinking water wells within a half mile of the proposed mine;

• Water quality sample results collected over two seasons to show pre-mining water quality and water table elevations;

• $10 million in general liability insurance and $2.5 million in environmental pollution liability insurance; and

• An option for the Borough to hire an independent professional to review the application.

For more information call Planner Emerson Krueger at 745-9526 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To read the proposed ordinance look on the Planning page.