From Industrial Haul Roads to Coal Mining
Over the past few years, an increasing number of industrial projects have been proposed in the Susitna Drainage. The pieces can be confusing, even to those of us that work in this space daily. While at first seeming like unconnected projects, we begin to see more and more the threads that tie them together and the future trajectory of the region.
From coal bed methane and carbon capture to hard-rock mining and the Donlin Natural Gas Pipeline and an Industrial Haul Road, the Western Susitna region has the potential to be altered beyond recognition if these projects are not considered as a whole.
West Susitna Industrial Corridor
The West Susitna Industrial Corridor is the lynchpin project that supports the industrialization of the region. This 100+ mile industrial corridor continues to come up not only as a means to make an exploratory Australian gold mine potentially viable, but as the corridor that would allow private, foreign industry to access an ever-growing list of mega projects through the region.
Despite a well-deserved disgraceful public image AIDEA has been pursuing the West Susitna Industrial Corridor for years. AIDEA and DOT have been consistently inconsistent in their messaging, making it unclear to the public the true intent of the corridor: industrial access. After a minimal public outreach period, AIDEA’s project was demonstrated to have overwhelming opposition at the local level. After failed attempts in 404 permitting applications, the DOT took over the first 15 miles and a bridge across the Susitna, attempting to disguise it as an entirely new project.
As Dermot Cole states, "It was dishonest to call this “newly proposed.” It was dishonest to say this was a recreation road, not a mining road. It would have been honest to say this was a way to make the mining road appear to be far less expensive. The state did not seek public comment in advance and did not have enough information to list the cost." In addition to being unable to list the cost details, the application did not provide any details on the route.
The Governor snuck the project into the DOT draft STIP at the last minute. This surprise addition was one of the line items that led to our state’s embarrassment of being the only state to have its STIP plan totally rejected in early February. Among other pie in the sky projects, West Susitna Access failed to meet a series of benchmarks to be included in the plan resulting in the Federal government requesting re-submittal of the project. The plan was resubmitted at the end of February. The state is currently awaiting a verdict by the Federal government as to whether or not the project will be included in the STIP. Concurrently, AIDEA is pursuing the latter portion of the 100 miles industrial road.
The Susitna River Coalition supports recreation and the ability of Alaskans to enjoy the furthest reaches of our watershed. That is currently already underway. Alaskans are recreating in the Susitna watershed daily: by boat, snowmachine, airplane, ATV, dogsled, ski, bike, and foot. The Alaskan populace deserves honesty from it’s politicians and government agencies. This industrial road is not being pursued for everyday Alaskans. It is being pursued to support a variety of industrial projects being pushed through with little thought to the future of the region.
Coal Mining and Carbon Sequestration
On March 5th, the Mat-Su Borough and Assembly person Yundt audibly confused themselves on the road to approving RS 24-031, in support of a proposed coal and carbon capture project in the West Susitna drainage. Snuck into this resolution was a line item in support of West Susitna Access Road.
At first included as a part of the meeting’s consent agenda, meaning it would be approved with a number of other resolutions without discussion, one Assembly member advocated it to be moved. The Mayor quickly approved the move, but did not make clear to the public whether they would be hearing the resolution that same evening or whether it would be heard in a later Assembly meeting.
Following this confusion, some individuals got off the line for testimony, thinking there was more time to consider the Resolution. Over half of the individuals that stuck around after the turn of events and lack of clarification from Borough Mayor Edna Devries were opposed to the Resolution. Reasons given included the fact that carbon capture has a history of failure, coal is an outdated mechanism for power generation, and carbon capture is extremely risky.
A lengthy discussion took place amongst the Assembly weighing the validity of the project. Assemblyperson Nowers was the most critical of the project, noting noting recent reports from NREL, the University, and the Legislature that all suggested this project garnered further discussion and presentations from MEA and other subject matter experts, not the Assembly, to move power projects forward.
The resolution sponsor, Yundt, clearly did not understand the studies that he referenced in support of the resolution, misconstruing the details. In addition, he continued to spread blatant falsehoods about the public’s perception of West Susitna Access Road. Yundt has repeatedly stated that there is only one known study on public perception, ignoring AIDEA and the Mat-Su Borough’s own outreach in favor of one small, private study conducted by a Pro-Road organization with a very small sample size.
For reference, Individuals in the Borough have repeatedly demonstrated opposition to the West Susitna Industrial Corridor. 87% of all online public comments on the DOT STIP were against this project. The Mat-Su Borough's own public outreach on the AIDEA project, with over 1300 comments, public meetings with over 300 attendees, and 692 online survey takers, showed, on the low end, 75% of Mat-Su Borough residents were against the road whether public or private. The poll that Assemblyperson Yundt referenced, was paid for by Friends of the West Su, a non-profit formed solely in response to and in support of this project. Their commissioned poll reached 334 people. With a 50/50 split, it was likely a smaller household number.
During the discussion, the carbon capture piece of the resolution was voted to be removed through an amendment, and the Borough voted to move forward with a coal power plant without carbon sequestration. This project would be supported by the mine and the West Susitna Industrial Corridor.
Want to learn more about why this project is a bad idea? Read Erin McKittrick's post in the Alaska Energy Blog here.
Why our Community Cares:
Alaskans Footing the Bill for Private, Foreign Industry
Other projects slated for the region include the Donlin Natural Gas Pipeline, multiple mines, and forestry projects. The Susitna River Coalition is not opposed to thoughtful development. We are concerned about the cumulative impacts these projects could have in the region. The West Susitna Industrial Corridor is a seed for harmful projects to spread throughout the region, each considered individually without any thought of how this will shape the region and its assets into the future.
Most concerning is that Alaskans are being fed one story by our representatives in attempt ot spend pubic money for corporate profit. The West Susitna Industrial Corridor is being pushed under the guise of public access. But to be clear, access is extremely limited and would be shared with an increasing amount of dangerous industrial traffic.
Without a doubt, public funds should not be used to fund private industry. Private industry should pay its own way, not stand on the backs of hardworking Alaskans.
Updates:
Susitna Watana Hydro Project
Amid state legislation hearings flush with Cook Inlet natural gas supply shortage presentations and bills calling for more “clean” energy alternatives, at a 2024 cost of $7.2 billion, the Susitna Watana Hydroelectric project (Su Dam) is once again being considered as a solution to Alaska’s energy challenges. Despite being proposed as far back as 1948, the Su Dam has consistently been rejected due to its impracticality every time it is revisited.
In an era where large hydroelectric dams in the U.S. are being decommissioned to reverse the damage they've caused to rivers and ecosystems, considering the construction of a dam of this magnitude is regressive. This massive 705-ft tall, 42-mile long river-stopping reservoir would be located 87 miles north of Talkeetna on the Susitna River, disrupting the 15th largest river in the U.S. and home to the 4th largest king salmon population in Alaska. The Su Dam would be a load-following operation, which severely alters the natural river flow by dramatically reducing summer flows and increasing winter flows. This destroys salmon spawning and rearing habitats and migration pathways ultimately lowering salmon populations.
If the Su Dam project were to get the green light again, there is a possibility the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing process may require repeating or refreshing previous, “stale” data. An entire decade has gone by since the FERC studies on the Dam were last worked on from 2012-2014. Key studies on water quality and river flow, crucial for understanding impacts, are either unfinished or outdated. Given Alaska's increasing extreme weather, new studies are essential. Climate change can alter precipitation patterns, resulting in shifts in the timing, intensity, and distribution of rain and snowfall. This could potentially impact the reliability and efficiency of the power generation.
$2.3 billion has been allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for improving hydroelectric power. This funding is specifically aimed at enhancing efficiency and safety of already established hydroelectric power plants, and not intended for financing new large-scale dam projects like the Su Dam. $800 million of the funding is for dam removal initiatives.
Dependence on a single massive renewable energy project like the Su Dam carries significant risks. As highlighted by engineer Bob Butera (an engineer who worked on the Dam project in the 1980’s), relying solely on one large hydroelectric project that can't easily adjust to changes in demand is precarious and potentially catastrophic.
Furthermore, hydroelectric dams, often touted as clean energy sources, emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas, due to the decomposition of organic matter in reservoirs. This would significantly offset any potential carbon emissions reductions claimed by the project. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now includes reservoir emissions in their greenhouse gas reports.
A new National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) cost analysis, released recently, reports that 76% of renewable energy generation on the Railbelt can be reached by 2040 with mostly new wind and solar projects, resulting in a savings of about $1.8 billion total compared to a scenario with no new renewables added. The research confirms that opting for the least expensive approach to broaden the state's energy portfolio negates the need for a disastrous hydroelectric project like the Su Dam.
As Alaska moves forward in solving the state’s energy issues, it's crucial to make responsible decisions for creating a clean energy system that will benefit Alaskans in the long term. Above all, the Su Dam would embody the immense alteration of Southcentral Alaska’s river life, its economy and ecology, the eradication of its unique ecosystems, the destruction of one of Alaska's most valued salmon spawning and rearing habitats, and the flooding of 40,000 acres teeming with wildlife, while costing the state billions of dollars that are needed elsewhere.
Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Management Plan
The comment period for the Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers draft management Plan wrapped on March 5th.
The next week, the Governor's Executive Order removing the Susitna Basin Recreation rivers Advisory Board, EO 134, was approved by the state legislature.
Effective June 30, the Advisory Board will dissolve. It is clear that their role could have had an increasingly positive impact on the recreation rivers. Other Advisory Boards, like the Kachemak Bay State Park Advisory Board along with others, promote education and provide a priceless knowledge base with which to inform the future of their regions.
Senator Kevin McCabe, one of the members that voted for the board’s removal mentioned that the board was against development in the region, something that is untrue. The plan does not eliminate or bar development within the river corridors, nor is the current board anti-development. This active removal of local expertise is a tragedy for the Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers and will have lasting effects in the region.
Though the Board has been removed, they are currently reviewing the comments made by the public. They will meet until all comments are reviewed. After they have completed their review, DNR will prepare and IRS (Issue Response Summary) which will address the comments made by the public. After this, the commissioner will approve or deny the plan. If the plan is approved, there will be an appeal period.
We expect the final plan to come out this summer, and will continue to update you on the process.
Thank you to everyone who has engaged in this multi-year process.
Mat-Su Borough Setback Ordinance
In December 2022, the Mat-Su Borough attempted to repeal its Setback Ordinance. In response to robust commenting by the public, the Mat-Su Borough created an Advisory Board in order to tailor and amend the Setback Ordinance to the current era. The Advisory Board has been meeting the past few months to familiarize themselves with the current plan in preparation for revision.
On March 26, 2024 at 4PM, the Setback Ordinance Advisory Board will begin the revision process. The public is welcome to attend these meetings and offer comments as to what they would like to see. Attendance information will be released in the coming weeks.
Past Events
Iron Dog: Tales From the Trail
This past Tuesday, we welcomed two Iron Dog veterans to talk about their experiences on the trail and adventures in the Susitna Drainage. Did you miss the webinar? Don't worry!
You can watch it or any of our other past Winter Speaker Series events on YouTube.
The Iron Dog is the longest, toughest snow machine race in the world, covering 2500 miles of remote Alaskan country. Beginning and ending in the Susitna Valley, athletes view our watershed as both the kickstart to the race and a warm welcome home. The Susitna River Coalition welcomes Tim and Hillarie Gossett in this recorded webinar. Tim and Hillarie tell tales from the trail on this challenging race that begins and ends its course in the western Susitna valley and share some of their family adventure within our watershed.
Hillarie completed the Iron dog in 2023 as part of the only female team that year and the first all female team to finish the race in 20 years. Tim completed the Iron dog in 2024 7th on the Top all-rookie team. They plan to compete next as a husband and wife team.