Roger Schnabel’s planning commission rock quarry permit needs to be thrown out by the assembly!
The permit has serious flaws, planning commission conflicts of interest and Schnabel is not being held financially accountable for impacts of his operation that could result in devastating impacts to our whole community! The timeline destroys our tourism season, cruise ship visitor experience and best season for all Haines residents.
The assembly issues limited permits for rafting, heliskiing, and bus tours to Chilkoot Lake and this permit allows dump trucks to travel down Young Road right through our downtown business area. Eighteen trucks per hour, 162 trucks per day, six days per week for our whole tourism season – three consecutive summers! Dust, loud truck exhaust, “Jake” brakes, backup alarms, unbelievable truck traffic and huge potential for devastating accidents, all allowed within scope of Schnabel’s permit.
Rock blasting and dusty, dirt road traffic on Mount Ripinsky will destroy pristine nature and quality of life for all Haines residents.
Only 10 days allowed for public comment in the middle of winter when many residents are out of town is totally unacceptable, considering the size and scope of this permit, and stinks of manipulation. The assembly spent seven years trying to regulate heliskiing noise 30 miles outside of Haines – but only 10 days on a project that will far exceed the impacts of helicopter noise out of town!
This permit needs to be revisited and allow for reasonable public discussion for at least 60 to 90 days! Do it right!
Joe Poor