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| Location
and Climate
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| Healy
lies at the mouth of Healy Creek on the Nenana
River, 78 miles southwest of Fairbanks. It is
located on a spur road, just north of the entrance
to the Denali National Park and Preserve on the
George Parks Highway. It lies at approximately
63d 51m N Latitude, 148d 58m W Longitude (Sec.
20, T012S, R007W, Fairbanks Meridian). |
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| Healy
is located in the Nenana Recording District. The
area encompasses 44.7 sq. miles of land and .2
sq. miles of water. Interior Alaska experiences
seasonal temperature extremes. January temperatures
range from -22 to -2; July temperatures range
from 50 to 72. Average annual precipitation is
11.3 inches.
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| History,
Culture and Demographics |
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Healy
was developed by the Usibelli Coal Mine in 1918, and
has grown to become Alaska's largest coal mining operation.
The mine supplies 800,000 tons of coal a year, to Golden
Valley Electric, the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
the military, and South Korea. The Usibelli Coal Mine
began a successful environmental reclamation program
in 1971. Dall sheep now graze where there was once a
strip mine.
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| Economy
and Transportation |
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The
Usibelli Coal Mine has dominated the economy of Healy
for over 50 years, and employs 145 positions. Construction
of the $267 million Healy Clean Coal Plant is employing
an additional 240 temporary workers through its completion
in 1998. The mine produces 1.6 million tons per year,
half is shipped to Korea via the Port of Seward, and
half is used in the Interior region. The Golden Valley
Electric Assoc. and the Railbelt School District are
also major employers. Tourism at nearby Denali Park
also enables RV Parks, guided rafting trips, helicopter
tours and other retail trade and services. Unemployment
is low.
The
George Parks Highway provides access, and cargo is delivered
by rail or truck. The State-owned Healy River Airport
provides a 2,920' asphalt runway. Local services provide
helicopter or air tours of the Denali Park. Companies
based in Anchorage and Fairbanks also provide bus tours
to the Park.
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Home
Data
in this section was provided by
the
Alaska
Department of Community and Economic Development
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