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

Posted: January 24, 2012

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

Posted: January 19, 2012

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

Posted: January 12, 2012

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

Posted: January 11, 2012

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. Read more

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

Posted: January 11, 2012

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. Read more

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