Negotiated Timber Sales

March 6, 2018 Proposed Regulations

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

As of April 10, 2018

The Department of Natural Resources received the following written question regarding the proposed regulation changes in 11 AAC 71 dealing with negotiated timber sales.

Question: In 11 AAC 71.055(a) what part of the existing timber industry in Alaska qualifies as “users of wood fiber”?  

Answer: AS 38.05.118 was amended in 2016 to clarify that a negotiated sale of timber may be to a manufacturer of wood products or a user of wood fiber.  The intent is for these provisions to apply to both local manufacturers of wood products and users of wood fiber; as such all elements of Alaska’s existing timber industry qualify. The sectional analysis for Senate Bill 32 (later codified at ch. 42, SLA 2016) “clarifies that DNR may negotiate sales to wood fiber users, including biomass energy producers, in addition to wood product manufacturers.”  Other examples of users of wood fibers may include, but are not limited to, suppliers of pellets, chips, or firewood, and paper mills.

The notice of proposed regulation changes is available at http://notice.alaska.gov/189007.