NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
LAS 34041
Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)
Subject to AS 38.05.850, the Northern Regional Land Office has received an application for the following:
APPLICANT: Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)
PROJECT NAME: LAS 34041
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Within those portions of the proposed Ambler Road easement (ADL 421741) on state managed lands. The Ambler Road extends 211 miles from milepost 161 of the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Within:
Fairbanks Meridian:
Township 25 North, Range 16 West, Sections 1-4;
Township 25 North, Range 20 West, Sections 1-6;
Township 25 North, Range 21 West, Sections 1-3;
Township 26 North, Range 17 West, Sections 22-24 and 27-32;
Township 26 North, Range 19 West, Sections 31-36;
Township 26 North, Range 20 West, Sections 35 and 36;
Township 26 North, Range 21 West, Sections 27-31 and 34;
Township 26 North, Range 22 West, Sections 17-21, 28, 29, and 33-36;
Township 26 North, Range 23 West, Sections 7-10 and 13-15;
Township 26 North, Range 24 West, Sections 2-5, 7, 8, 10-12, 16, 17 20, and 21; and
Township 26 North, Range 25 West, Sections 11 and 12.
Kateel River Meridian:
Township 19 North, Range 12 East, Sections 7-11, 13, 14, and 18;
Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Sections 18-20, 25-29, and 32;
Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Sections 13, 23, 24, and 26-30;
Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Sections 18-21, 27-30, and 34-36;
Township 19 North, Range 16 East, Sections 25-29, and 31-35;
Township 19 North, Range 17 East, Sections 20-23 and 25-30;
Township 19 North, Range 18 East, Sections 13-15, 19-24, and 30;
Township 19 North, Range 23 East, Sections 8-12, 17, and 18;
Township 19 North, Range 24 East, Sections 7-9, and 11-16;
Township 19 North, Range 25 East, Sections 1-4, and 7-10;
Township 19 North, Range 26 East, Sections 1-5, 9, and 10;
Township 20 North, Range 25 East, Section 36;
Township 20 North, Range 26 East, Sections 31, 32, and 36; and
Township 20 North, Range 27 East, Section 30 and 31.
REQUESTED ACTIVITY: The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Mining, Land, and Water (DMLW), has received an application for a Land Use Permit (LUP) from AIDEA to conduct fieldwork in support of the Ambler Road project. The proposed fieldwork is described in the attached work plan titled “Ambler Access Project 2022 Fieldwork Activities” (hereafter referred to as the Work Plan), and includes: cultural resource surveys; landing zone clearing; facilities reconnaissance; airstrip reconnaissance and weather station placement; hydrologic and hydraulic investigations; land surveys; fish habitat studies; wetland investigations; geophysical surveys and probing; geotechnical drilling, including cross country travel of a tracked drill between adjacent boreholes; temporary camp placement, and winter cross-country travel of a tracked vehicle with temporary camp structures on a tracked or sled trailer.
Many of the activities described in the Work Plan qualify as Generally Allowed under 11 AAC 96.020 (Generally Allowed Uses, GAU) and would not require a permit. However, because there are activities requiring a permit – such as placing sensors for over 14 days, clearing brush beyond a 5 ft wide trail, and off-road travel of equipment during frozen and unfrozen seasons – an LUP will be adjudicated for the entire Work Plan. GAU activities may commence before permit issuance, but all non-GAU activities may only start on the permit effective date if an authorization is issued. Generally, field work is anticipated to start May 1, 2022, through April 30, 2023, and any field work not completed during this time will be planned during the following field season (May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024). PROPOSED DATES OF USE:
Start: May 1, 2022
End: April 30, 2027
DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS: May 4, 2022
The public is invited to comment on this activity. To ensure consideration, written comments must be received by the Division of Mining, Land, and Water at 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 on or before 5:00 p.m. on the date noted above. Questions concerning this activity or requests to view the full application packet should be directed to Dianna Leinberger, e-mail: dianna.leinberger@alaska.gov.
After review and adjudication, we may issue an authorization with stipulations for the activity. The activity may be modified during the review and adjudication process.
DNR-DMLW complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aids, services or special modifications to comment should contact Alaska Relay at 711 or 800-770-8973 for TTY services.
The DMLW reserves the right to waive technical defects in this notice.