Local gravel: operators are 'good neighbors' as construction growth continues.

AuthorOrr, Vanessa
PositionSPECIAL SECTION: Mining

Ask someone if they want a gravel quarry in their neighborhood and the answer is most likely "no." It's a dusty, loud, and dirty business, and yet it's a necessity in a state where roads are still being built and housing developments and commercial and industrial sites still need to be constructed. While some municipalities may balk at the idea of becoming home to a quarry, times are slowly changing as gravel operators, land owners, Native corporations, and Alaska residents begin to focus on the benefits--instead of the drawbacks--of gravel mining.

Not only do gravel mines provide jobs, but the industry is also helping Native village corporations make money on the land that they own. In addition to providing much needed material to Department of Transportation (DOT) projects, some quarries are also providing topsoil to local residents as well as accepting peat from other construction projects. Quarry sites are often reused as space for housing developments and industrial space; in some cases, gravel pit owners are actually investing their time, money, and expertise to clean up locations with the future goal of creating a more pristine environment.

"Everyone wants the product we make, but nobody wants a gravel pit near their house," says Jim Winchester, sales manager, Granite Construction, Inc. "Yet there's nothing worse than not having us. You don't think about it much, but what we do is important to Alaskans' quality of life. Imagine having to park in muddy swamps or drive on dusty roads; it would be pretty miserable around here without asphalt. It's ironic, but that's probably why you don't see a lot of cars with bumper stickers protesting the gravel industry."

Benefitting from Shared Opportunities

While no one can argue that having drivable roads is a plus, especially in Alaska's rugged terrain, quarry owners are looking to expand even more on their services to local municipalities. "This year, we supplied the majority of gravel for upgrading and widening Eagle River Road, which was a major DOT project, but we also take import at our North Eagle River facility; contractors bring peat to us, and we make topsoil out of it," explains Curtis J. McQueen, CEO, Eklutna, Inc. "We also serve as a snow disposal site for the city during the winter."

Eklutna, Anchorage's Native village corporation, and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), the area's Native regional corporation, have been gravel mining on Eklutna lands since the 1980s. Eklutna is the...

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