PUBLIC NOTICE UNDER AS 38.05.945

MINERAL LEASEHOLD LOCATION ORDER NO. 40

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water, in coordination with the Division of Forestry, proposes to restrict mineral entry to lands within the Southeast State Forest to provisions of the leasehold location system under the authority of AS 38.05.205.This will prevent the staking of new mining claims under AS 38.05.195. This proposed action will apply to approximately 46,592 acres of state land within the Southeast State Forest (41.17.500). The draft Leasehold Location Order was referenced but not included in the draft Southeast State Forest Management Plan that was reviewed by the public between March 9 and April 30, 2015.

The public is invited to review and comment on the proposed Leasehold Location Order No. 40. Comments should be mailed to James Schwarber, Division of Forestry, 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709, or emailed to james.schwarber@alaska.gov. Comments must be received by the Division of Forestry no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 11, 2016 to ensure consideration. The public notice and attachments (Leasehold Location Order, maps and the Administrative Finding) are available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System: http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/pic/pubnotfrm.htm.

Following the comment deadline, all written responses will be considered and this decision may be modified to incorporate public comments. If requested, a copy of the final Leasehold Location Order will be sent to any person who submitted comments on these proposed actions. The final decision will include appeal instructions. This Order will be included in the final Southeast State Forest Management Plan when it is submitted to the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources for adoption.

If you have any questions about the proposed action, please contact James Schwarber at (907) 451-2704, by fax at (907) 451-2690, or via email james.schwarber@alaska.gov.

The Department of Natural Resources is prepared to accommodate individualswith disabilities by providing auxiliary aids or services when requested. Individuals with audio impairments who wish to respond to this decision by telephone may call the Department of Natural Resources Public Information Center in Anchorage between the hours of operation: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at TDD#: (907)269-8411.