Mining board to salute 6 for environmental work

SOUTH JORDAN — Six organizations that have gone well beyond "strict" environmental regulations will be honored by the Utah Board of Oil, Gas and Mining during a ceremony next week at the Rio Tinto Regional Center.

The Earth Day Award program began in 1991 and since then has singled out more than 90 organizations for voluntary work to protect the environment even as natural resources are being developed, according to board chairman Douglas Johnson.

"The essential requirement for the award is that the work must be performed voluntarily and not required as a condition of the operator's permit," he said.

Three mines owned by Canyon Fuel Co. will receive awards: the Dugout Canyon and Skyline mines in Carbon County and SUFCO Mine in Sevier County. Dugout Canyon and SUFCO mines accomplished wildlife habitat and water enhancement projects, while Skyline Mine used innovative means to avoid the need of building a second waste rock facility near the town of Scofield.

Another mining company, Simplot Phosphate in Uintah County, voluntarily donated time, equipment and materials and worked closely with the Utah Department of Transportation to construct runaway truck ramps on a state highway that runs through the mining company's property. Simplot had to significantly alter its mine reclamation plans to accommodate the ramps while still reclaiming the area to acceptable standards.

Rio Tinto/Kennecott Utah Copper and Kennecott Land will receive an award for their post-mining land use at the Daybreak community in Salt Lake County.

Sevier County, along with Jones and DeMille Engineering and JP Excavating, will receive an award for site restoration of the Bull Claim Hill Rock Quarry. Rock from the quarry was used to repair damage to the Sevier River following flooding in 2005.

— Amy Joi O'Donoghue