DNR opens comment on Quail Creek placer mining application in Rampart District

A placer mining application on Quail Creek west of Fairbanks is open for public comment, with federal regulators noting that work in streams or wetlands may require a separate Clean Water Act permit.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources posted the notice May 19, 2026, for APMA F20147104, a claim in the Rampart Mining District located within Township 6 N, Range 11 W, Fairbanks Meridian, in the Livengood USGS quadrangle. The permit package covers land access, water use, and reclamation. As the notice states, "A Water Right or a Temporary Water Use Authorization may be issued and state land use beyond the mining claims will be adjudicated by DNR." The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers advises that mining in streams or wetlands cannot begin without a federal permit if one is required, and that starting without one "may be in violation of the Clean Water Act."

The notice does not detail production volumes, water use rates, or mitigation measures. Effects on Quail Creek fisheries and subsistence access remain unresolved until additional technical documents are filed.

Comment Window

The 14-day comment period opened May 19, 2026, and triggered review by eight state and federal agencies, including the Departments of Environmental Conservation, Fish and Game, and Revenue at the state level; the EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Land Management at the federal level; and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. To comment, contact Jack Kerin at (907) 451-2736 or [email protected].