Feb. 1, 2022 – According to an article in the Nome Nugget, Alaska’s oldest newspaper, the Port Commission met in a work session and regular meeting to finalize wharfage rates dealing with gravel, sand and rock exports, noting that the amount of gravel going over the causeway has dramatically increased in the past year. The port panel heard that gravel exports are reaching new levels as projects in the region require vast amounts of material. When 40,000 tons of gravel in the past marked the highest amounts, bigger projects, such as the Cape Blossom road project in Kotzebue, saw gravel exports nearing 300,000 tons last year. The port panel saw fit that the categories for tariffs of gravel and sand be expanded from three to six price classes. Until last year, the price per ton existed for exports under 2,000 tons, 2,001 to 40,000 tons and 40,000 tons and up. The 2021 base rate was $2.15 per ton and taking into account the Consumer Price Index rise of 3.67%, the 2022 base rate rose to $2.23. The panel agreed that exports from 0 to 50,000 tons pay the base rate of $2.23/ton; 50,000 to 100,000 pay $1.89/ton; 100,000 to 200,000 pay $1.67/ton; 200,000 to 300,000 pay $1.45/ton; 300,000 to 400,000 pay $1.23/ton and 400,000 and up pay $1.11/ton.