Noise complaints about around-the-clock drilling at the Small Boat Harbor expansion project have prompted the Haines Borough to consider whether it should allow it on future projects.
Mayor Stephanie Scott said she has received two complaints about the noise, but is aware there are more disgruntled residents she hasn’t spoken to personally. The police department has also received calls from several people griping that the revving and hammering is keeping them up at night.
“We are being accused on the street of torturing people,” Scott said.
Former borough assemblyman and Highland Estates resident Norm Smith said he and his wife are having trouble sleeping due to the “pounding and drilling and vibrations.” Smith’s houseguests also chose to cut their visit short with the explanation, “We thought this was a quiet town.”
“It echoes all over Highland Estates. It’s just not right. We have a noise ordinance on the books and it’s being avoided,” Smith said. “The borough doesn’t have to abide by the code but apparently everybody else has to.”
Scott tried to call a special meeting Tuesday night to have staff explain to the assembly and the public why the 24-hour drilling program is in place for this particular project, but the meeting was canceled after it became clear there wouldn’t be a quorum of assembly members.
Harbormaster Phil Benner apologized for the inconvenience to residents, but explained that the 24-hour policy is the best deal for the borough.
Whether the crew drills or not, it costs the borough $30,000 a day to keep the rig and associated equipment in town. Two years ago, bad weather cost the borough about $100,000 in lost time due to delays.
“Due to the type and length of drilling at the new breakwater site, the holes cannot be completed in a 12-hour period, so the 24-hour period was agreed on to minimize costs,” Benner said.
The savings of drilling around-the-clock total $150,000, Benner added.
Residents have complained that drilling occurs at 2 a.m., but not at 9 a.m. That’s because the shift change occurs from 8 to 10 a.m. and 8 to 10 p.m., when samples have to “be put to bed,” Benner said.
“The samples have to be taken ashore and kept refrigerated until being shipped to the lab for analysis,” he said.
PND Engineers and Denali Drilling expect drilling to end this weekend, Benner said.
The drilling project is collecting soil samples to determine if any of the areas planned for dredging are contaminated. Drilling also will determine the depth of bedrock.
Mayor Scott said she believes problems and complaints arose because of a lack of information. To her knowledge, even assembly members weren’t aware the project would involve 24-hour drilling.
“I do think when there is an impact of this magnitude that it’s the responsibility of the government to hear and to inform, and I think we did not (do) a great job of informing in advance,” Scott said.
Highland Estates resident Smith said he would like to see an ordinance establishing an appropriate time frame for high-impact drilling programs.
“I just think there should have been thought put into the contract when the contract was conveyed,” Smith said. “There should have been more thought given to the impact that it is going to have on the community for 24-hour drilling.”