sand, gravel, and rock
Sand, gravel, and rock are key to developing and enhancing community infrastructure.
Doyon, Limited owns the sand, gravel, and rock on its conveyed Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands. This ownership includes all Doyon subsurface lands beneath surface lands owned by village corporations and beneath surface interests transferred by village corporations to others such city governments.
Sand, gravel, and rock interests are managed by the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department. Doyon makes commercial sales primarily for capital improvement projects in Doyon villages. Doyon also makes sand, gravel, and rock donations for some local uses.
Good maintenance practices in sand, gravel, and rock sites with land and resource owners, local stakeholders and regular users of material sites help minimize costs and promote continued uses of materials for the long-term. This also helps make projects happen faster that are sought after by Doyon villages whether it is a state funded capital project, federally funded project, or a competitive grant project.
Doyon manages
material sites across the region, on and off the highway system.
program goals
Doyon sand, gravel, and rock interests are managed by the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department with the following goals in mind:
- Make materials available for local infrastructure projects for the benefit of shareholders and communities.
- Provide revenue sharing opportunities with effected village corporations and other surface owners
- Adhere to state and federal requirements in material sites.
- Effectively engage all stakeholders impacted by projects.
Doyon strives to ensure that gravel be available in each of its communities to support growth and needed infrastructure.
Gravel sources are identified through a variety of methods including geological reconnaissance, partnering with DOT and other agencies to gather existing, and utilizing local knowledge.
Doyon will donate gravel to noncommercial projects that will directly benefit shareholders or communities with some limitations. Doyon can only donate the material royalty – donation beneficiaries will be responsible for mining and transporting material.
The Lands and Natural Resources Department has developed a web map for the purposes of sharing data and promoting use of Doyon material sites for projects throughout the region.
Gravel availability is a key component in community growth.
Process for using Doyon Material Site
STEP 1: apply
Fill out and submit the Doyon Application to Doyon, Limited. The application can be obtained by contacting the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department or by visiting www.doyon.com/gravel.
STEP 2: Work and Reporting
Obtain any necessary permits for your project. Doyon provides a permitting checklist to assist in identifying necessary permits, but it is the operator’s responsibility to ensure they are meeting the requirements
Review Doyon’s Sand, Gravel Rock Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Develop and submit a Mining, Reclamation, and Stormwater Plan for your project in accordance with Doyon SOPs and Site-Specific Guidelines document.
Step 3: Agreement
Doyon will draft a Material Sale or Material Donation Agreement. The Agreement must be signed by both Doyon and the Applicant before work can begin. The agreement may not be in the full amount requested initially but can be quickly amended to fulfill gravel needs if additional material is needed for the year.
STEP 4: Work and Reporting
With an active agreement in place, work can begin. Work must be in accordance with the submitted plan and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The site must be left in a condition that leaves no ongoing legal or regulatory requirements for Doyon.
STEP 5: Project Closeout and Reclamation
The site must be closed out according to the reclamation plan. Final quantities must be submitted for materials taken during the project.
useful facts about measuring sand, gravel, and rock
- A full-size pickup bed can hold approximately one cubic yard.
- A standard dump truck has a capacity of 10-12 cubic yards.
- For example, a request for 1,000 cubic yards would require 100 dump truck loads.
- Doyon is not responsible for SGR mining, transportation, any required reclamation, or for developing or maintaining access routes to SGR.
revenue sharing and surface use
Many of Doyon’s material sites are located on village corporation lands. In compensation for impacts and to address potential surface access fees, Doyon automatically shares 20% of the money made from its material sites with the surface owner. Doyon will additionally share $1,000 per acre of new surface disturbed in the development of a material site.
Village corporations also have the option to gain an extra 10% of the royalty from a project if they sign a contract supervision agreement (CSA) with Doyon and assist in the monitoring of the project.
This revenue sharing system is standardized across the region and was designed to be generous, competitive with other ANCSA Corporations, and to promote engagement from village corporations with projects impacting their communities. Because of this, Doyon does not permit additional surface access fees to be charged to its customers.
permitting
Mining gravel is subject to local, state, and federal rules and regulations that vary in complexity based on project details. Doyon provides several tools to assist local operators in understanding what permitting may be required of their operations and in obtaining necessary permits, including a permitting checklist and site-specific guidelines documents that provide most information necessary to form a mining and reclamation plan.
Though Doyon provides these tools, it is the operator’s responsibility to ensure that they are obtaining all the necessary permits and adhering to the local, state, and federal regulations. It is also the operator’s responsibility to ensure that the material site is left in proper condition so that there is no ongoing permitting obligation at the site.
Frequently asked questions
Doyon may be able to assist you with questions, but it is the responsibility of the buyer, contractor, or user to complete the initial application or forms and comply with all elements of the sales agreement including compliance with the Doyon approved mining plans and all applicable laws. Required reporting obligations must also be met to help ensure good land stewardship practices.
No. Sand, rock and gravel can only be taken from designated sand, rock and gravel pits and quarries.
Doyon will donate for most shareholder personal uses a fixed volume of sand, rock and gravel on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of material at an active, permitted, and currently operating site. Doyon can only waive its sales price; local operator fees, transportation fees and other charges may still apply. The shareholder is responsible for all of these costs.
For a sale, you must complete a Doyon Materials Request Form. Review the Material Site Permit and Plan Checklist. Once you have submitted the sand, rock and gravel request form to the Department, you will be notified of any further information required. For donation requests, similar forms must be completed and submitted. Forms are available upon request by contacting the Lands Department.
Doyon will not authorize a sand, rock and gravel sale or donation unless all forms are completed in full, and all required information submitted. It is the responsibility of the buyer to submit a request several months in advance before sand, rock and gravel is needed, as it may take 1-2 months to process a request.
Doyon is not responsible for sand, rock and gravel mining, transportation, any required reclamation, or for developing or maintaining access routes to sand, rock and gravel.
You will need to contact the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for further information, as these areas are outside of Doyon’s jurisdiction. For more information (including useful links) about obtaining state-owned SGR, visit the DNR’s website.
The buyer, project contractors, and other users shall secure all permits and other authorizations as may be required by governmental authorities and provide Doyon with copies. Doyon may be able to assist the users in determining what permitting may be necessary for their operations and in attaining required permits upon request.
Most existing SGR sites in the Doyon region are located close to rural communities which means that the surface is often owned by the local ANCSA village corporation. Doyon shares gross revenue with village corporations and coordinates on matters such as mining plans and general pit management. We recommend that you contact Doyon first with sales and donations inquiries so that we can provide advice and work cooperatively with you and the surface owner at the front end of your project.
For more information contact the lands department at rocksales@doyon.com, (907) 459-2030, or 1-888-478-4755 ext. 2030.