Cantwell and Access Meeting April 17th

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Cantwell and Access Meeting April 17th

#1 Post by john »

The following is quoted from AOC and needs to be read and considered by all who ride in the Cantwell and Parks Hwy areas. Some of the areas I noted in my previous posts stated that there are lands not owned by AHTNA that would allow us access to Broad Pass area riding, however those lands are "selected" but not conveyed as of this date. It is important that we let BLM know that if these lands are conveyed, that a sufficient number of 17b easements be included and documented/marked for our use. Or if that isn't immediately conducted, that we be allowed open access across these lands until such time as the 17b easements are properly identified and marked.

One or two 7b easements is "not" sufficient for the amount of Parks Hwy (for example) that is involved. The 17b easements were included to allow access to the areas we use to recreate and needs to be a priority in any current or future land issues.

NOTICE - Public access at risk! For trail riders, paddlers, hunters, fishers, skiers, hikers, etc.

* Do you have favorite trails and access points to them and to rivers off the Denali, Richardson & Parks Hwy south of the Alaska Range?

* Have you told BLM about them? Example: A trail from the Parks Hwy to State land in the Yanert River valley.

* Has BLM recognized and recorded those trails and access points and their public uses?

If your answer is "NO", you may soon be told "NO" when you go back to use that access. We've already lost several public access points.

BLM Public Meeting on public access across Ahtna Corporation lands - Thursday, April 17, 4-7PM, Fairbanks BLM Office on University Avenue.

BLM always hears what Native corporations recommend, but not often what the public wants - until the access is lost!

* Go to the access meeting.
* Find out about 17b easements.
* Make sure that BLM knows about YOUR interests and past public use of access across Ahtna selected lands.

* Deadline for comments on 17b easements on AHTNA lands is April 28, 2008.

BLM makes its decisions on previously identified trails and access points. Many were identified years ago. BLM is required to consider the interests of BOTH the land owner, AND the public.

BLM is in the final stage of reviewing conveyance of federal land to Native corporations as mandated by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The law requires BLM to determine where public access to and from public lands and waters or transportation routes across Native corporation lands should be reserved by public easements. The easements are called 17b easements, and can be a trail or a staging area.

In general, public access across those lands is lost if 17b easements are not reserved at the time lands are conveyed to a Native corporation (exceptions are rare and hard to come by).

For general info on 17b easements, go to http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/lands_ ... ments.html

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#2 Post by john »

More info / insight

In talking to BLM the red blocks of Ahtna lands in Broad Pass as seen on Ahtna's website (go to website click lands, maps, Cantwell) are lands that have already been conveyed and thus no new 17b easements can be created on these lands.

However, there appears to be two blocks of land ie. hwy mile 198.3- 200.7 and mile 201.5-207 where Ahtna does not own the land East and West of the highway. BLM ownership maps of this area shows the above blocks have been selected but not conveyed.

In violation, Ahtna has also posted these properties, which tells me they will come up in their priorities for conveyance which are due in to BLM by June 10 or 11. The BLM meeting on 4-17-08 will be our opportunity to make sure several 17b easements are placed in these unconveyed areas to afford public access to public lands beyond the Ahtna selections.

Hope to see you all at this meeting next Thursday, 4-7 pm at the BLM Bldg off University Avenue.

Chuck Derrick

TLR
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Cantwell

#3 Post by TLR »

John, how would a person make a comment on this if one couldn't make it to the BLM meeting? Please tell me that ASSA is on top of this.
I've spent a lot of money on snowmobiles over the years, the rest I just pi**ed away!

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#4 Post by john »

Wish I knew. Looked all through the LM site and no info on the upcoming public hearing, hummm, keeping it quiet.....

But I did find some general contact info that might work

Alaska State Office public affairs staff at 907-271-5555 or by email to

sharon_wilson@ak.blm.gov

ruth_mccoard@ak.blm.gov

vanessa_rathbun@ak.blm.gov

danielle_allen@ak.blm.gov

karen_laubenstein@ak.blm.gov

I'll do some more digging and try to find a specific point of contact and make up a form of some sort for everyone.
Last edited by john on Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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#5 Post by john »

Contact info to submit comments in post

http://www.fairnet.org/Agencies/FST/PHP ... php?t=3281

Thanks Dean

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#6 Post by paulneva »

For those of you who did not get to the BLM Open House today, here are some of the things I learned:

There is an existing 17(b) easement from the Denali Highway (around mile 130) that provides access to the Jack River Valley.

There are existing 17(b) easements from the Parks Highway (about mile 194.5) to the Caribou Lakes.

There are no existing or proposed easements that will allow us to get from the Parks Highway to the Dunkles without crossing Ahtna Lands.

BLM is responsible for marking 17(b) easements. The easements in the Cantwell area have never been marked. (“It wasn’t an issue so it wasn’t a priority.”)

BLM handed out forms for “Easement Nomination,” with a due date of 28 April 2008.

Recommendations: Before 28 April, nominate an easement from the Parks Highway, mile 201.2 (the FAA site) east to the Denali National Park boundary.

Nominate an easement following the power line from the Jack River to the existing Parks Highway-Caribou Lakes easement.

Numbers count. We need to send the nominations in as individuals and ask ASSA to do what they can to help.

Paul
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#7 Post by Shane »

Thanks Paul for the information !!!!!!

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#8 Post by john »

Paul,

Do you have a copy of the easement Nomination form I can use. Is there one online we can access..

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Correction

#9 Post by paulneva »

It must have been late last night when I wrote about what I learned at the Open House. The first recommendation should have read, "Recommendations: Before 28 April, nominate an easement from the Parks Highway, mile 201.2 (the FAA site) west to the Denali National Park boundary," rather than "east to the...boundary."


Paul
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