Usibelli seeks five more years at Two Bull Ridge near Healy, and the state is revising the cleanup bond

Usibelli Coal Mine wants another five years at its Two Bull Ridge mine northeast of Healy, but the renewal is less about new mining than about a mine winding down. The current pits are nearing completion, and once they are mined out, the permit shifts into reclamation status unless the company opens other approved ground inside the existing boundary. No new mining area is proposed.

With the site approaching that stage, the state plans to revise the mine's reclamation bond, currently $5.4 million, the money set aside to restore the land if Usibelli does not. State mining regulators found on Aug. 14 that the renewal application for the 2,522-acre site is complete and consistent with Alaska coal law, and are still reviewing it against the law's technical requirements. The current permit expires Oct. 4.

The mine has run largely without incident. Regulators issued two notices of violation, in 2002 and 2003, but the findings say both were promptly resolved and that Usibelli has otherwise stuck to its approved plan. The coal it produces fuels Golden Valley Electric Association's Healy power plants and other Interior generation.

The renewal has a history of drawing both support and scrutiny, though neither side has weighed in this time. The Resource Development Council for Alaska backed the last renewal in 2021. Denali Citizens Council, based near Healy, has challenged other state approvals for Usibelli activity in the area, arguing they do not adequately protect nearby homes and wildlife habitat. Neither group takes a position on this renewal in the state's file, and Usibelli does not speak in it. Anyone who could be adversely affected can comment or request an informal conference through Oct. 5.