Denali Citizens Council

DCC Files Response to State’s Healy Basin Gas Exploration Brief

Charlie — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:47:30 +0000

Gas well on the Kenai Peninsula

Denali Citizens Council has taken the next step in the process of appealing the Final Finding for the Healy Basin Gas Only Exploration License by responding to the State of Alaska’s initial brief. DCC demonstrates in the reply that the Department of Natural Resources’ finding is not supported by the administrative record regarding both the size of the lease area and the required mitigation measures.You can read the entire brief here:

DCC Reply Brief 1-23-12

To read the earlier volleys:

Denali Citizen Council Opening Brief

State of Alaska Brief

For an overview of the entire issue, see our page on Healy Basin Gas Exploration.

Interpretive Plan Underway for Parks Highway

julia — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:45:24 +0000

Mt. McKinley (Denali) seen from the Parks Scenic Byway near Cantwell

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation have begun the process of creating a master interpretive plan for the Parks Highway Scenic Byway. The master interpretive plan will establish a separate set of goals and objectives specific to interpretation that compliment and support the Parks Highway Scenic Byway Corridor Partnership Plan which was completed in 2008.

Public meetings were held in several communities along the byway in spring of 2011 to gather information from community members on the intrinsic qualities along the highway (see May-Jun 2011 edition of DCC News).

The purpose of interpreting the nations’ scenic byways is to create a distinctive collection of American roads, their stories and treasured places. The goal is the establishment and maintenance of interpretive sites and services along the highway.

The Parks Highway Scenic Byway stretches from the Chulitna River Bridge, at Mile 132 to Fairbanks, at Mile 362. In 2009 it was designated a national scenic byway.

If you are interested in participating in this process please contact Emily Lochart, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation at 907-269-8724 or via email: emily.lochart@alaska.gov.

More information on the scenic byway program and the Parks Highway Scenic Byway Corridor Partnership Plan is available on the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities website: http://www.dot.state.ak.us. Click on highways. You may also contact DCC’s community organizer for information on the byway via email at: julia@denalicitizens.org.

Alaska Railroad Applies for New Permits for Herbicide Spraying

Charlie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:13:40 +0000

The Alaska Railroad has applied for permits to spray a glyphosate herbicide on three sections of track, roughly between Clear and Fairbanks, Talkeetna and Broad Pass, and Palmer and Wasilla. In 2006, the Alaska Railroad applied for a permit to apply herbicide along the entire railroad corridor, but public opposition stalled that effort. See DCC’s comments on that application. This past summer, the railroad successfully obtained a permit for a much more limited project spraying railyards in Healy, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. Now the corporation is following up with a much more extensive project.

View the public notices (which include dates for public comment and public hearings) for the three projects at the State of Alaska, Department of of Environmental Conservation website.

Middle Nenana Fish & Game Advisory Committee Opposes Motorized Hunting in Yanert, Intensive Management in 20-C

Charlie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:46:22 +0000

The Middle Nenana Fish and Game Advisory Committee had a meeting on Jan. 9th, in Anderson, to continue the discussion on the Proposals in the Alaska Board of Game Proposed Regulations for 2011/2012. The committee discussed and voted on many proposals (there are 255 of them!) but several of primary concern for DCC were Proposal 213, regarding motorized access for hunting in the Yanert Controlled Use Area – proposed by the Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee – and Proposals 227, 229 to manage Unit 20 C as an Intensive Management area for high harvest of moose, Proposal 230, to adopt a bear control program in Unit 20-C, Proposal 231, to liberalize trapping of black bears in Unit 20-C, and Proposal 232, to allow the taking of grizzly bears over black bear bait in Unit 20-C.

All of these proposals were unanimously opposed, (with some members abstaining from the vote) by the committee. Unit 20-C abuts the north side of Denali National Park and DCC maintains is that it is inappropriate to establish Unit 20-C as an intensive management area before significant and current data on wildlife populations is secured through population surveys, and habitat analysis and carrying capacity is determined. The Middle Nenana Advisory Committee voted in concurrence with these positions. Greater consideration of these issues was given thanks to the many concerned local citizens who wrote letters and/or showed up at these meetings . There is significant pressure from Fairbanks to support these proposals (many of which the Advisory Committee there proposed), so, the support to oppose the proposals will most certainly be needed to carry over to the spring Board of Game meetings in Fairbanks in early March.

The proposal booklet is available for review online at the Board’s website: www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us. Send written comments to:
Board of Game Comments, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Boards Support Section
PO Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
Fax: 907-456-6094

Written comments are due by February 17, 2012. You can also testify at the Interior Region meetings in Fairbanks, March 2-12, 2012. Watch DCC member alerts, newsletters, and this website for more information soon.

Stampede Rec Area, Yanert Non-Motorized Use on Borough Agenda

Charlie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:19:03 +0000

At its January 11 meeting, the Denali Borough Assembly will be considering several resolutions related to important DCC issues. Resolution 12-04 would reinforce support for the bill presently in the Alaska legislature to create the Stampede State Recreation Area (HB 113, SB60). Passing this resolution is important to show continued Borough support for the proposal.

Also on the agenda is Resolution 12-01 in support of retaining the traditional non-motorized hunting in the Yanert Controlled Use Area. Passage of this resolution would help demonstrate community opposition to Board of Game Proposal 213 to allow some motorized hunting in the Yanert. The Board of Game will be considering the proposal at its meeting in early March.

Another item of interest is resolution 12-05 urging the State, the Alaska Railroad, Usibelli Coal Mine, and the Denali Borough to work together to facilitate the transfer of ownership of leased railroad land in the Tri-Valley Subdivision (and other similar property in the Borough).

The Denali Borough Assembly meeting starts at 6:00pm at the Tri-Valley Community Center on Wednesday, January 11, in Healy, following a 5:00 work session related to the Alaska Railroad’s planning through 2015. There is a public comments section at the beginning of the agenda.