Alaska Department of Natural Resources

State approves Haines barge landing that its forestry division says could also ship timber

The state approved a 25-year lease for a barge landing on Haines' Lutak Inlet. The state forestry division says it could also be used to move timber.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Mat-Su Borough asks state for 210 acres near Sutton for a shooting range

People already shoot at the old Jonesville coal mine near Sutton. The Mat-Su Borough wants to make it official, with a $7.5 million shooting range.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 29

Follows: DNR proposes requiring permits for most shooting in the Matanuska Valley Moose Range

State seeks bids to expand the Upper Stiles Creek shooting range near Fairbanks

A busy public gun range near Fairbanks has no berms behind its targets. The state is taking bids to build some, paid mostly by taxes on guns and ammo.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 22

State plans to sell Homer contractor 5,000 cubic yards from Ohlson Mountain site

The state intends to sell a Homer contractor 5,000 cubic yards of material from atop Ohlson Mountain. That's roughly 400 to 500 dump-truck loads.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom Oct 7

State plans to allow logging on habitat and recreation lands in Haines State Forest

The state plans to allow logging on Haines State Forest habitat and recreation lands, despite objections from conservation groups and other commenters.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min readFrom Oct 1

State proposes five snowmachine trails near Wiseman after Dalton corridor transfer

The state proposes five snowmachine trails near Wiseman, part of its promise after subsistence users lost their federal priority in the Dalton corridor.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 7

State posts logging plan for 365-acre timber sale near Coffman Cove on Prince of Wales

The state posted a logging plan for a 365-acre timber sale near Coffman Cove on Prince of Wales Island. The plan and a comment deadline aren't public yet.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

State proposes giving 5,805 acres to energy authority for Bradley Lake hydro expansion

DNR's 5,805 acres for the Alaska Energy Authority near Homer are for Bradley Lake hydro, where AEA says a glacier diversion could boost power 40%.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min readFrom Oct 2

Giessel says governor kept DNR commissioner from legislative hearing on AIDEA land transfers

Governor blocked the DNR commissioner from testifying at a legislative hearing on state land transfers to AIDEA, leaving lawmakers without answers on nearly 20,000 acres north of Houston.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Legislative attorneys say Houston land transfer to AIDEA may fail public-purpose test

Legislative attorneys say giving AIDEA 20,000 free acres near Houston may not pass the public-purpose test. AIDEA's director says state law already settles it.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

State proposes giving 220 acres near Ester to AHFC for housing, drawing trail concerns

Alaska DNR is giving 220 acres near Ester to a housing corporation for free, but the land is now used for hunting, trapping, and trails, and a Senate committee says locals oppose it.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska DNR tightens rules for stream water reservations

Alaska's new water reservation rules require five years of data first, and tribes and nonprofits won't hold their own certificates anymore. DNR will.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

State to give highway department 200,000 cubic yards from Parks, Alcan pits at no charge

Alaska Department of Natural Resources will give the transportation department 200,000 cubic yards of gravel from two Interior highway pits at no cost.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

State approves easement to rebuild Cordova's failing Eyak Lake weir, built in 1972

Cordova's 1972 Eyak Lake weir is leaking and leaning. The state just cleared the way to rebuild it, with construction slated to start this winter.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

DNR proposes requiring permits for most shooting in the Matanuska Valley Moose Range

DNR wants a permit for most gunfire near Slipper Lake and across the Moose Range, and for burning cars. Hunters are exempt. Comments due Nov. 9.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Alaska LNG asks DNR to convert conditional pipeline leases to full leases

Alaska LNG asked the state to convert two conditional pipeline leases into full leases, citing over $50 billion in project financing and support agreements from major energy companies.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

State proposes giving up surface claim to 160 acres off Denali Highway for Native veteran's allotment

Alaska is dropping its surface claim to 160 acres near mile 81 of the Denali Highway for an Alaska Native Vietnam-era veteran's allotment, keeping only oil, gas, and mineral rights.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min read

Palmer forestry base holds memorial for helicopter pilot Greg King

The Alaska Division of Forestry held a memorial at its Palmer aviation base for helicopter pilot Greg King, who died Sept. 20 in a crash on the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Conservation groups appeal state's Ambler road easement in Anchorage Superior Court

Seven conservation groups asked a judge to overturn DNR's easement for the Ambler road. Both sides cite the state Supreme Court's Donlin ruling.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago5 min read

Kodiak borough weighs $70,919 off-road rescue vehicle for Womens Bay firefighters

Womens Bay's volunteer firefighters have been riding their own ATVs to off-road calls. The borough may buy them a $70,919 side-by-side with a pump and a plow.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Comments due Oct. 23 on Alaska's 2027 Cook Inlet and Alaska Peninsula oil and gas lease sales

Want the right to challenge the state's next Cook Inlet and Alaska Peninsula oil and gas lease sales? Comment by Oct. 23, or forever hold your appeal.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska lists 5.7 million acres of land selections it could give back to federal ownership

Alaska may hand about 5.7 million acres of state land selections back to the federal government, where rural residents would get a subsistence priority.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska released 310 acres near Slana to the university over its own agencies' objections

The state released 310 acres near Slana for the university over objections from DOT, two of its own land sections and every commenter. DNR's reply: thanks.

by Alaska News1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Alaska DNR issues four land decisions for University of Alaska land grants

Governor candidates split over how to close Southcentral gas gap

All four candidates want more Cook Inlet gas. They differ over lease enforcement, production incentives, tax stability and power diversification.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago4 min read

Follows: Southcentral is 3 Bcf short this winter, and producers told lawmakers the gas runs out in 2029

Cook Inlet gas storage at 69.5% as winter nears, with one field shut in for maintenance

Southcentral's gas storage fields are still filling and sending nothing out, at 69.5 percent full with winter coming and Enstar 3 Bcf short.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Southcentral's gas storage is two-thirds full with winter coming

FAA seeks permit for weather station at Coffman Cove seaplane base

The FAA is seeking a 20-year state permit for a weather observation system at Coffman Cove. Comments close Oct. 2.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

A hydro plant sat on state land five years after its easement expired

A hydro plant east of Palmer has sat on state land for five years with no authorization to be there. The state now proposes to lease it the ground.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 14

Petition would vacate Eek Street; comment by Oct. 20 or lose the right to object

A public street in Eek would become private property of the city and AVEC, no one has said why, and anyone who wants to object later has to speak up by Oct. 20.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska DNR issues four land decisions for University of Alaska land grants

Alaska issued four land-transfer decisions in four days ahead of a December deadline, over unanimous opposition. At Medicine Lake, the opposition won.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

State approves 183-acre Heceta Island clearcut with 300-foot beach buffer

Alaska approved clear-cutting 183 acres on Heceta Island with a 300-foot beach buffer, rejecting the state's own habitat biologist's recommendation for 1,000 feet to protect winter deer habitat.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Your state parks gift certificate expires during a blackout you can't book in

Your Alaska State Parks gift certificate expires Sept. 30, but you can't book anything after Sept. 27. Those last three days are decorative.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Fairbanks companies seek a year-round water right for the pool at Circle Hot Springs

Two Fairbanks companies want a year-round water right at Circle Hot Springs — about 8.6 million gallons a day, on an application pending since 2020.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska would drop its claim to 480 acres for three Native Vietnam veterans

Alaska is giving up its claim to 480 acres near Haines so that three Alaska Native Vietnam veterans can get the allotments they applied for.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

A road crew wants to camp in a gravel pit while it fixes the Elliott Highway

A contractor fixing 12 miles of the Elliott Highway wants to park 20 people in RVs on state gravel while it works. Comment closes Sept. 28.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Comment closes Monday on giving 20,000 Houston-area acres to AIDEA

Alaskans have until 5 p.m. Monday to comment on giving 20,000 acres north of Houston to a state agency for free — and only those who comment can appeal.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

Alaska approves three land releases for University of Alaska

Alaska is transferring hundreds of thousands of acres to the University of Alaska under its federal land grant, led by a 220,000-acre Ray Mountains selection.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

Wind topples two dozen trees onto Tok's power lines, stalling fire recovery

Winds knocked more than two dozen trees onto Tok's power lines Wednesday, some outside the burn scar, cutting power and stalling the Mukluk Fire recovery.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Comment closes Oct. 12 on a plan to dig antimony 80 miles from Trapper Creek and refine it at Port MacKenzie

Alaska is taking comment until Oct. 12 on permits for the Estelle gold and antimony project, whose applicant is a Nova Minerals subsidiary that won $43.4 million in federal defense funding to make military-grade antimony trisulfide.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

An antimony project's construction schedule began before comment opened

Construction schedules for an antimony mine and refinery began back in June. The state opened comment on whether to approve the work on Friday.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

Fiber easement for four Koyukuk River villages grows to 96 acres, and comments close Oct. 12

Tanana Chiefs Conference expanded a fiber optic easement to 96 acres to bring high-speed internet to four Koyukuk River villages, with public comments due Oct. 12.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read