Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification
POA-2006-02047 Fish Creek Fairbanks Gold Mining Gil Mine
Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into navigable waters, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 (PL95-217), also must apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that the discharge will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws.
Notice is hereby given that a request for a CWA §401 Water Quality Certification of a Department of the Army Permit application, Corps of Engineers’ Public Notice Reference Number indicated above has been received for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOUS), including wetlands, as described below, and shown on the project figures/drawings. The permit application and associated documents are available for review. For inquiries or to request copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov, or call 907-269-6285.
The public notice and related project figures/drawings are accessible from the DEC website at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.
To comment on the project or request for a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=j9NVQ on or before the public notice expiration date of May 6, 2023, 11:59 p.m.
Applicant:
Fairbanks Gold Mining, Inc, (FGMI)
Bartly Kleven
PO Box 73726
Fairbanks, AK 99707-3726
907-490-2207
bartly.kleven@kinross.com
Project Name:
Gil Mine
Location:
The proposed activity is located within Section 1, T. 2N, R. 3E; Fairbanks Meridian; in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Project Site: Latitude 65.02440, Longitude -147.10470. With potential discharge location(s) as follows: Sourdough Ridge Road: 65.028587, -147.087572; North Gil Pit: 65.030704, -147.112818.
Purpose:
The applicant’s stated purpose is to expand the existing Gil Mine Project by expanding the current footprint. The project will Improve and connect existing roads and create new infrastructure to profitably increase the production of gold recovery utilizing open-pit mining methods and existing recovery processes.
Project Description:
The Gil Mine Expansion Project - 2023 Modification is looking to extend the previously permitted mining area. The proposed activity includes expanding the North Pit, creating new mining pits, upgrading the existing access roads that connect the Gil and Sourdough Ridge pits to the existing main ridge road, constructing growth media stockpiles, waste rock dumps, laydown areas, and additional access roads. Ore would be hauled on the Gil Mine access road to Fort Knox’s current facilities for processing.
Impacts to waters of the United States, caused by construction of the existing mine totaled 3.27 acres. The proposed modification would expand the mining operation, which currently consists of the Gil Main Pit, the North Pit, and an expanded access road. With the proposed modification, the Gil Mine Project would extend across approximately 411 acres on two ridges, Gil ridge to the West and Sourdough ridge to the East. Approximately 14,727 cubic yards of clean fill would be permanently placed in 9.03 acres of waters of the United States. The waters that would be affected are entirely wetlands located at the upper portions of hillside swales on Gil and Sourdough ridges; the wetlands are predominantly vegetated by deciduous shrubs. No direct impacts to streams or other waters are proposed.
Under the current plan, mining would cease on both ridges at the end of 2026. Reclamation of the Gil and the Sourdough Ridges would begin in late 2026, and progress through 2028.
Additional Information:
This project would be a modification of the existing permit. The applicant is also applying for other necessary authorizations including a land use/mining operation permit from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water, and a land use permit from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office. Water that would be needed for dust control during construction and operation would be withdrawn from the Fort Knox fresh water reservoir; withdrawals are authorized under Water Right LAS 28519 and Fish Habitat Permit FH21-III-0111 Amendment 1.
Applicant Proposed Mitigation:
The applicant proposes the following mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to waters of the United States from activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material.
a. Avoidance: The proposed project would avoid impacts to wetlands and other waters including streams. To assist with the design, aquatic resources were mapped and documented over an approximately 1,082-acre area encompassing the project site. As a result, waste rock and growth media storage facilities and other planned infrastructure would be situated on uplands. Only on-site, non-mineralized rock (clean fill) from uplands would be used for new road construction; no material sites would be established in wetlands or other waters. The road connecting the Gil Ridge pits with the Sourdough Ridge pits would extend at and near the ridgetop and thereby avoid contact with Slippery Creek, a perennial stream, or its tributaries. Slippery Creek is a tributary of Fish Creek and is within the Chena River watershed (Hydrologic Unit Code 19080306). Due to the widespread wetlands and the need for surface mining (underground mining was determined to not be feasible), the project includes fill placement in wetlands.
b. Minimization: The positions of the proposed roads, laydown areas and other infrastructure are oriented to minimize direct impacts to aquatic resources. The mine sites and attendant facilities including access roads would be located on moderately steep ridges that are predominantly upland. Wetland impacts would be further minimized by the following:
- Ore would be hauled to Fort Knox for gold processing and thus, no rock crushing, cyanide application, or tailings storage would occur at the project site; avoiding potential direct and indirect impacts to aquatic resources that would result from these activities.
- Existing gravel roads and gravel pads established during previous mine activity would be utilized by the project to reduce impacts. Existing roads start at the current Fort Knox facilities, lead across the Gil Causeway, and east up the ridgeline to the Gil Mine.
- Erosion control measures including contouring and seeding for embankment stabilization would be implemented according to the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan that would be submitted to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. These measures would minimize erosion and sedimentation of wetlands and other waters.
- Culverts would be installed in roads and pads, where appropriate, to minimize erosion potential and maintain hydrologic connectivity.
- Any waste rock found to have the potential for acid generation or metals mobility would be stored in accordance with state regulations, and not be used for fill in road or facility construction or placed in or near wetlands and waters.
Upon terminating mine operations, the mine surface disturbance would be reclaimed and closed according to Alaska Statute 27.19, and all applicable regulations. Reclamation and associated revegetation of the disturbed areas would induce several indirect benefits to aquatic resources including suppressed erosion and sedimentation.
c. Compensatory Mitigation: Wetlands and waters creation and enhancement would be conducted by the applicant to offset wetland losses proposed at the Gil Mine Project. No mitigation bank credits, or in-lieu fee program credits are available. The applicant submitted a compensatory mitigation plan as part of the application. Upon reviewing on-site and off-site opportunities, the applicant proposed to create and restore wetlands away from the proposed mine site, but within the Fish Creek Valley (Hydrologic Unit Code 190803060705), which encompasses the proposed mine and is part of the Chena River watershed. In addition to offsetting the proposed impacts, the proposed compensation would restore some of the aquatic resource functionality lost from historic placer mining and add to the improvements already made by compensatory mitigation that has occurred in the same valley. Implementation of the plan would occur in 2023-2024, concurrently with the proposed wetland impacts.
After reviewing the application, the Department may certify there is reasonable assurance the activity, and any discharge that might result, will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws. The Department also may deny or waive certification.
The permit application and associated documents are available for review. For inquires or to request copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov, or call 907-269-6285.
Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice
The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Meg Kohler at 907-269-4198 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 prior to the expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.