The debate over water rights for the Chuitna Coal Mine has been postponed until August.
The company in charge, PacRim Coal, has been unavailable for comment.
Previously Chuitna Coal Mine’s Project Manager Dan Graham said the permitting, debates, and environmental concerns are just part of the process.
Graham: “Well I think any responsible developer, you try to do your best to accommodate concerns and issues, particularly local residents as well as the agencies and all of the other reviewers, that’s part of the review process, you get input on concerns and see which ones you can address and address them as best you can.”
The Chuitna Citizen’s Coalition and Cook Inlet Keepers have voiced their concerns over the large scale mine dewatering the 20 square miles of salmon habitat and digging down 300 feet into the Chuit River.
According to the project’s website, “Utilizing contemporary mining reclamation practices that support the construction of streams, rivers and lakes within a mined area, streams in the Chuitna Coal Mine Area will be reconstructed in their near original locations”.
One example of restoration after was the Resurrection Creek Restoration Project which returned a one mile “stretch of creek and floodplain that were severely impacted by mining to an area displaying all the characteristics of a naturally functioning, self-maintaining ecosystem. (USDA 2007)”.
