It is reported that Australia based Riversdale Alaska has been awarded a state coal lease in the Chickaloon area. Riversdale was the high bidder for the almost ten thousand acres of potential coal bearing lands in the Matanuska Susitna Borough paying a more than 3 million dollars bonus for the lease.

The land is owned by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and leased by the Authority’s Lands Trust Office. Mr Greg Jones is the Lands Trust Office executive director.

He said that “We’ve signed an agreement with Riversdale that gives them the right to explore and if they are able to find a resource, find the coal, and get permits, it allows them to mine those lands subject to all applicable state, federal and local permits. We are at this point, along for the ride, in hopes that they are successful.”

Mr Jones says it is now up to Riversdale to determine if conditions are right for a mine. He said that “We will be monitoring it closely. We’ll be assuring that they meet the conditions of our lease, which requires them to meet all state and federal regulations. The ball is in Riversdale court to meet all of those criteria to determine if they can develop a mine.”

Mr Russell Dan Riversdale Alaska manager was not available for comment Tuesday, but Ms Michelle Johnson who is handling public information for the project says intent to explore permits have been granted and the company is planning aggressive baseline studies on the area for the next two years. Improvements on roads to the coal leases could be the first step.

The state Department of Natural Resources is in the process of weighing an exploration permit for Riversdale according to coal regulatory program manager Russell Kirkham. Public comments on the permits are being taken through June 18.

The Chickaloon coal leases sparked opposition some years ago, when the Mental Health Lands Trust Office leased them to a Canadian company, Public outcry against coal exploration near Chickaloon may have prompted the company to withdraw it is plans to mine there.

Source - Alaska Public

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