Category Archives: Issues

Community issues

Trapper Creek Gravel ? Interim Materials District

An application for an Interim Materials District (IMD) has been submitted to extract up to 1,000,000 cubic yards of material, over a 10 year period, within a 22-acre site. The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on this request on June 15, 2015.

Return written comments by May 20, 2014.? Thank you for your review. If we do not receive comments from you we will assume you have no objections to the proposed project.

Respectfully,

Mark Whisenhunt, CFM

Planner II

Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Office: (907) 861-8527

 

Trapper Creek Gravel ? Interim Materials District

An application for an Interim Materials District (IMD) has been submitted for the extraction of up to 1,000,000 cubic yards of material over a 10 year period, within a 22-acre site.

Location:

22347 S. Watkins Road; MSB Tax ID# 26N05W20B008; within Township 26 North, Range 5 West, Section 20, Seward Meridian

Applicant:

Kristie Parsons (dba Trapper Creek Gravel)

Public Hearing:

The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing concerning this application on Monday, June 15, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in the Borough assembly chambers at 350 E. Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, Alaska.

The application materials may also be reviewed in the Borough Permit Center. If you have questions or want to submit comments, please contact Mark Whisenhunt at 861-8527 or email: mwhisenhunt@matsugov.us. ??Comments may also be faxed to 861-7876 or mailed to MSB Development Services Division, 350 E. Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645.

 

Bridge Replacement- Montana & Sheep Creeks

Parks Highway Bridge Replacement Logo

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Notice of Public Open House

When: Thursday, May 7, 2015, from 6-8pm

Where: Su-Valley Jr/Sr High School,?42728 S Parks Highway, Talkeetna, AK

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) has assumed the responsibilities of the Federal Highway Administration under Section 326 of amended Chapter 3 of Title 23, United States Code (23 U.S.C. 326), and is soliciting comments and information on a proposal to replace the Parks Highway bridges crossing Sheep Creek (Milepost [MP] 88) and Montana Creek (MP 96). The proposed project is located in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, south of Talkeetna, Alaska.

The purpose of the project is to maintain a safe corridor along the Parks Highway, where two bridges have been identified as having structural deficiencies requiring full replacement. The proposed work would construct new bridges, either at or adjacent to their current locations. This project would include in-water activities, pile driving, utility relocation, and constructing temporary or permanent approaches and access to the main highway. Pedestrian facilities across, to, and along the streams may need to be reconfigured or reconstructed, but access would be maintained or improved. Access would also be maintained as practicable during construction. Construction is anticipated to begin Winter 2016 and be largely complete by Winter 2017.

This proposed project will comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; Executive Orders: 11990 (Wetlands Protection), 11988 (Floodplain Protection), 12898 (Environmental Justice); the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and U.S. DOT Act Section 4(f).

 

To ensure that DOT&PF has identified key issues and that your concerns and ideas are considered, please send written comments to the following address by May 22, 2015.

Brian Elliott, Regional Environmental Manager

DOT&PF Preliminary Design & Environmental

P.O. Box 196900

Anchorage, Alaska 99519-6900

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Sean Baski, P.E., Project Manager, at 269-0547 or Kathy Shea, Environmental Impact Analyst, at 269-0530. Watch for the website launch: parkshighway88and96.com

 

2012-2015 State Transportation Improvement Program

NOTICE:
Amendment 13 to the 2012-2015 STIP has been adopted
and
Amendment 14 to the 2012-2015 STIP is open for public comment
Public Comment period closes?April?17, 2015 at 5:00pm AST

Amendment 13 removed the FFY15 funding from the Knik Arm Bridge (Need IDs 20255 & 20256) and Juneau Access (Need ID 19214) projects and redistributed that funding over many other projects that were previously proposed to be advance constructed (AC). This amendment also corrected a funding error with the Inter-island Ferry Authority Vessel Refurbishment project (Need ID 28451).?

Amendment 14 to the 2012-2015 STIP is currently available for public review and comment. Amendment 14 addresses scope, funding and scheduling issues on several projects around the state.

Links to notice details are available at:

If a hard copy of the STIP Project Changes is needed, please contact DOT&PF using the following STIP contact information:

Address:? State of Alaska, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Program Development
P.O. Box 112500
Juneau, AK? 99811-2500

Phone: ?(907) 465-4070
Toll Free:??(888) PLAN-DOT (752-6368)
Fax:??(907) 465-6984
Free Fax:??(888) PLAN-FAX (752-6329)
E mail:?? dot.stip@alaska.gov

Amendment 12 to the 2012-2015 STIP

STATE OF ALASKA, DOT&PF DIVISION OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
2012-2015 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

NOTICE:
Amendment 12 to the 2012-2015 STIP is open for public comment
Public Comment period closes January 5, 2015 at 5:00pm AST

Amendment 12 to the 2012-2015 STIP is currently available for public review and comment. This amendment addresses scope, funding and scheduling issues on several projects around the state.

Links to notice details are available at:

If a hard copy of the STIP Project Changes is needed, please contact DOT&PF using the following STIP contact information:

Address:? State of Alaska, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Program Development
P.O. Box 112500
Juneau, AK? 99811-2500

Phone: ?(907) 465-4070
Toll Free:??(888) PLAN-DOT (752-6368)
Fax:??(907) 465-6984
Free Fax:??(888) PLAN-FAX (752-6329)
E mail:?? dot.stip@alaska.gov

Persons with a hearing impairment can contact the department by dialing Alaska Relay at 711 and asking the communication assistant to call the telephone number listed. We are also able to offer, upon request, reasonable accommodations for the special needs related to disabilities.
The DOT&PF will not tolerate discrimination based on race, color, sex or national origin.? See our full civil rights disclosure at the STIP website (above).

Alaska LNG schedules open houses

Alaska LNG has scheduled 12 open houses across Alaska over the next few weeks to explain the project to the public, provide information and answer questions about the multibillion-dollar natural gas development that will span the length of the state.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission officials will attend the meetings as part of the agency’s effort that will include preparing an environmental impact statement for the project. FERC approval will be required to construct and operate the North Slope gas treatment plant, 800-mile pipeline, gas liquefaction plant and LNG shipping terminal at Nikiski that comprise the Alaska LNG project sponsored by ExxonMobil, BP, ConocoPhillips, TransCanada and the state of Alaska.

The Alaska LNG sponsors filed with FERC in September to start the agency’s environmental and safety review of the project.

The sponsors will run the open house meetings; FERC will attend as an observer.

The open house schedule, as of Oct. 21, included:

  • Oct. 28: Nikiski High School; 6 to 9 p.m.
  • Oct. 29: Tyonek Tribal Center; 3 to 5 p.m.
  • Oct. 30: Anchorage, Crowne Plaza Hotel; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 5: Tri-Valley Community Center, Healy; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 6: Mitchell A. Demientieff Tribal Hall, Nenana; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 10: Minto Tribal Hall; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 12: Fred Ipalook Elementary School, Barrow; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 12: Westmark Hotel and Conference Center, Fairbanks; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 13: Kisik Community Center, Nuiqsut; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 18: Trapper Creek Elementary School; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 19: Fire Station 61, 101 W. Swanson Ave., Wasilla; 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 20: Houston Middle School; 6 to 8 p.m.

Several open houses already have been held across the state, with additional open houses expected.

The project sponsors have said they plan to submit the first reports of their environmental data to FERC next year, looking toward a draft environmental impact statement in 2017 and the final in 2018, moving the project closer to an investment decision.