The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has made a preliminary decision to approve Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company’s application for Air Quality Control Operating Permit AQ0302TVP04 for the Hecla Greens Creek Mine, under Alaska Statutes 46.14 and regulation 18 AAC 50.
Applicant: Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company, P.O. Box 32199 Juneau, AK 99803-2199
Location: 18.3 miles southeast of Hawk Inlet on Admiralty Island and 18 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska; T44S, R66E, Section 4, Copper River Meridian
Application: The owner submitted a renewal application on November 10, 2020
Activity: The Hecla Greens Creek Mine is owned and operated by Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company. The stationary source is an underground lead, zinc, silver, and gold mine and mill processing approximately 2,300 tons of ore per day. The Hecla Greens Creek Mine includes an ore concentrator system and associated equipment, a tailing backfill plant, and a diesel-electric generation plant. The stationary source requires a Title V Operating Permit because emissions are greater than 100 ton per year.
Emissions: The potential annual emissions of regulated air pollutants at the stationary source will not exceed: 581 tons of Nitrogen Oxides, 128 tons of Carbon Monoxide, 21 tons of Particulate Matter, 67 tons of Sulfur Dioxide, 54 tons of Volatile Organic Compounds, and 1 ton of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP), with highest individual HAP (Benzene) estimated at 0.3 tons. The potential annual emissions for Greenhouse Gases are estimated at 113,140 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. The total annual potential emissions of regulated air pollutants, other than greenhouse gases, are 852 tons.
ADEC Preliminary Review: Based on review of the application, ADEC drafted a preliminary permit decision for the Hecla Greens Creek Mine under AS 46.14 and 18 AAC 50.
Available Information: Copies of the permit application, ADEC’s draft operating permit, and draft statement of basis (SOB) are available at the following offices:
ADEC Air Permits Program, 410 Willoughby Avenue, 2 nd Floor, Juneau, AK 99801-1795
ADEC Air Permits Program, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
Opportunity for Public Participation: Any interested person may present written statements relevant to the draft documents, as long as they are received by the close of the public comment period. ADEC will consider all comments received and make any changes ADEC finds beneficial or necessary to assure compliance with 18 AAC 50 or state law. ADEC will issue a final decision to issue or deny the permit after the close of the public comment period.
ADEC complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact Brian Blessington at (907) 269-6272 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 by the 15 th day of this public comment period to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Comments relevant to the draft operating permit may be submitted electronically via ADEC’s public notice site at
https://aq.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=iDfb9 or to Joshua Klina by mail to PO Box 111800, Juneau, AK 99811 or 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, or by email to joshua.klina@alaska.gov. Comments must be received by close of public comments period at 11:59 p.m. Alaska time on March 29, 2022.
Publish: Alaska Web
Close of Public Comment Period: 11:59 P.M. Alaska time, March 29, 2022