What is this notice about?
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is extending the comment period on a plan to give up the State's claim to about 160 acres of federal land near Denali Highway mile markers 81 and 82. Giving up this claim would let the land go to an Alaska Native Vietnam veteran who applied for it under a 2019 federal law. The State would keep its oil, gas and mineral rights, and the public can send written comments until 3:30 PM on November 30, 2026.
Why was this notice issued?
The 2019 John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Dingell Act) lets eligible Alaska Native Vietnam veterans apply for up to 160 acres of land that the State has selected but agrees to give up. An application (AA-96506) was filed for this land. Alaska Statute (AS) 38.05.035 allows disposals of interests in state lands, and AS 38.05.945 sets the public notice rules for them. This notice extends the comment period.
What action is being taken?
DNR proposes to relinquish (give up) the State's entitlement land selection of the surface estate, including sand and gravel, on about 160 acres in Sec. 4, T. 21 S., R. 1 E., Fairbanks Meridian (case GS-5241). The State would keep its oil, gas and mineral interests. The land is about 0.80 miles northwest of Denali Highway mile marker 81 and about 1 mile northwest of mile marker 82, between, but not including, two unpermitted trails. The land is currently federally owned and managed. The purpose is to allow the land to be conveyed under Dingell Act allotment application AA-96506. After considering comments, DNR will issue a decision without further notice.
Who is involved: Dingell Act Native allotment applicant (application AA-96506), an Alaska Native Vietnam veteran; State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources; federal land managers
How can the public respond?
Respond by
Mon, Nov 30, 2026
22 days from today.
“3:30 PM, November 30, 2026”
Ways to respond
- Email
aleria.knudson@alaska.gov
- Mail
Postal mail accepted; no mailing address is listed in the notice. Contact Aleria Knudson at +1 (907) 334-2683 for the address.
What to include
Comments must be in writing and received by the deadline. If commenting on more than one proposed action, submit separate comments for each. Only people who send timely written comments can later ask DNR to reconsider its decision. People needing special assistance must ask DNR's Public Information Center in Anchorage, (907) 269-8400, by 4:00 p.m., November 12, 2026 (TTY: 711 for Alaska Relay or 1-800-770-8973).
Contact
Aleria Knudson
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
aleria.knudson@alaska.gov
+1 (907) 334-2683
Will there be public meetings?
The notice does not announce any public meeting or hearing.
Key dates
- Nov 12, 2026: Deadline (4:00 p.m.) to request special assistance or accommodations from the DNR Public Information Center in Anchorage
- Nov 30, 2026: Written public comment period ends at 3:30 PM
Original notice text
PUBLIC NOTICE EXTENSION
Requesting Input on a
Proposed Relinquishment of State Entitlement Lands GS-5241
Comment Period Ends 3:30 PM, November 30, 2026
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing to relinquish the State’s entitlement land selection of the surface estate while retaining oil, gas, and mineral interests on those lands including approximately 160 acres in Sec. 4, T. 21 S., R. 1 E., Fairbanks Meridian, Alaska. The allotment is located approximately 0.80 miles northwest of Denali Highway mile marker 81 and approximately 1 mile northwest of mile marker 82, located between but not include, two unpermitted trails. A location map is available attached to this notice. The lands are not currently owned by the State, they are under Federal management and ownership. The purpose of relinquishment is to facilitate conveyance of Dingell Act allotment application AA-96506.
The 2019 John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Dingell Act) (Pub. L. 116-9) provides that eligible Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans may apply for allotments of up to 160 acres of land from vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved land that the State has selected pursuant to 6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act, and that the State agrees to voluntarily relinquish. In accordance with the Act, the State is considering relinquishing the surface estate, including sand and gravel, identified above.
Alaska Statute (AS) 38.05.035 allows for disposals of interests in state lands, and AS 38.05.945 provides procedures for notice of those disposals.
This notice and any future decisions on this proposed action are available on the State of Alaska online public notice portal: http://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/. For assistance in obtaining documents by an alternative method, to request auxiliary aids, services, or special accommodations, contact DNR’s Public Information Centers on State work days, Monday through Friday, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Anchorage at (907) 269-8400, Fairbanks at (907) 451-2705, Southeast Land Office in Juneau at (907) 465-3400, TTY: 711 for Alaska Relay or 1-800-770-8973, or go to http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/pic/ for additional contact information. Individuals who require special assistance must request assistance from the Public Information Center in Anchorage no later than 4:00 p.m., November 12, 2026.
The public is invited to submit comments. If commenting on more than one proposed action, separate comments should be submitted for each. The deadline for public comment is 3:30 PM, November 30, 2026. Only persons from whom the Department of Natural Resources receives timely, written comment during the identified comment period will be eligible to file a request for reconsideration of the decision. Written comments may be received by email or postal mail. To submit comments or for direct inquiries, contact Aleria Knudson at aleria.knudson@alaska.gov or +1 (907) 334-2683.
After public input is considered, the decision will be issued without further notice. A copy of the decision will be sent to any persons who provided input, and a copy will be posted on the States online public notice portal http://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/. To subscribe to the State’s online public notice portal, visit the link and set up an email or RSS subscription using available criteria.
DNR reserves the right to waive technical defects in this notice.
This summary was written by an AI model (Claude) from the official notice text.
This is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm deadlines and instructions in the official notice. Legal disclaimer.