The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has prepared the following frequently-asked questions as a supplement to the May 2, 2018 public notice announcing recruitment for the Bristol Bay Advisory Group (BBAG) and the 6-8 p.m., May 29, 2018 public meeting in Dillingham to gather input on the scope of the advisory group. This information also will be posted at http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/bbag/.

1.) What is the format of the May 29 meeting in Dillingham?

State agency officials will begin the meeting with a presentation that will include 1.) an informational overview, 2.) the DNR Commissioner’s goals for the BBAG, and 3.) a proposed scope of work for the BBAG.

Following the presentation, attendees will be invited to ask questions and share their ideas and suggestions related to the BBAG scope of work.

2.) I can’t attend the May 29 meeting. How can I participate in scoping the BBAG mandate?

You may share any ideas, comments and questions to dnr.commissioner@alaska.gov. DNR will post May 29 meeting materials to http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/bbag/. Interested parties may review those materials and submit additional input which will be shared with BBAG members upon their appointment for their further consideration.

If you want to speak directly to someone about the BBAG, you may submit your request to the email address provided above. Please identify your specific topic or question and we’ll put you in touch with the appropriate staff.

3.) When will BBAG members be appointed?

With the application period underway, it’s premature to commit to a date by which members will be appointed. That said, we don’t anticipate the group will be up and running and ready to conduct business by the May 29 meeting.

4.) Do members of the BBAG need to represent a specific organization or can they be unaffiliated?

Applicants do not need to be affiliated with a specific organization but as stated in the May 2, 2018 Solicitation of Interest, DNR “seeks a broad range of perspectives and applicants with direct knowledge of and/or reliance on the region’s natural resources who are willing to work cooperatively to identify resource management issues and potential solutions.” It is expected that the BBAG will be composed of diverse stakeholders in terms of geography and areas of interest.

5.) Do BBAG members need to make disclosures to the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC)?

APOC staff have advised that the BBAG would not fall under APOC reporting requirements. AS 39.50.200(a) and (b). Members of the group do not meet the definitions of “public official,” nor is the group defined as a “state commission or board” in §§(b).  Further it does not appear that provisions of campaign disclosure law (AS 15.13) would be implicated as BBAG applicants and/or members would not meet the definition of a candidate under AS 15.13.400(1).