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Introduction
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The Chuitna Coal Project is a surface coal mining and export development located in the Beluga Coal
Field of Southcentral Alaska, approximately 45 miles west of Anchorage. The Project is based on the
development of a 300 million ton, ultra low sulfur, subbituminous coal resource, the center of which is
approximately 12 miles from the coast of Cook Inlet.
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The Project area is largely undeveloped except for a system of primitive roadways that remain as a
result of oil and gas exploration and production and logging activities. Landownership in the Project
area consists of a combination of public (State of Alaska, Mental Health Trust, and Kenai Peninsula Borough)
and private entities (Tyonek Native Corporation, Cook Inlet Region, Inc., and individuals).
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Project History
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A previous Project design was evaluated in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and permitted by most of
the applicable state and federal regulatory programs in the early 1990s, but the Project did not proceed to
development. There have been substantive changes in the Project design and in the regulatory requirements
since this project went through the first permitting and EIS process. Therefore, a comprehensive, stand-alone
Supplemental EIS (SEIS) will be prepared for the new proposal.
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Current Project and SEIS Process
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The proposed Project includes: a surface coal mine and associated support facilities (Chuitna Coal Mine); mine
access road, coal transport conveyor, personnel housing, air strip facility (Chuitna Project Infrastructure);
a logistic center, and coal export terminal (Ladd Landing Development). The coal export terminal would include
a 10,000-foot trestle constructed into Cook Inlet for the purpose of loading ocean-going coal transport ships.
PacRim Coal, the project proponent (Applicant), predicts a minimum 25-year mine life based on the proven reserves
in one of three mining areas within the 20,571 acre coal lease area.
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Because the proposed Project has the potential to cause significant impacts to the environment, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that a SEIS would be prepared. EPA will be the
lead federal agency for the SEIS process.
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On March 13, 2006, EPA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Applicant that
defines the terms of cooperation between the Applicant and EPA in the development of the SEIS.
Pursuant to the MOU, EPA has selected ENSR Corporation, a third-party contractor, to assist with
the preparation of the SEIS and related documents.
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Two other agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources (ADNR), are participating closely in the SEIS process as cooperating agencies and will
coordinate their permit application reviews with the SEIS process. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) is participating as a consulting agency and will provide input throughout the SEIS process.
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