Concurrence with Senate changes to HB 46

Changes made in the Senate to House Bill 46 include:

At the Administration's request and the sponsor's support, language from House Bill 173 was added to HB 46 as follows:

1. Sections 1, 2 & 3. Allow coal miners access to federal funds for a wider assortment of permitting related activities.
2. Sections 4, 5, 6, & 7. Reduce paperwork in the new mineral incentive program, eliminating the annual application and substituting a one time application procedure. These changes also allow the department to charge $500 or $1000 to process the applications.

The original language of HB 46 was modified, with the concurrence of the administration, in section 12.

Section 12, part(4) returned to the original language in the law, thereby allowing aliens to acquire mining claims in Alaska. Continuing the tradition inherited from the early gold rush days.

Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17 remain unchanged.

A new section 18 establishes a 520 acre "Petersville Recreational Mining Area."

A new Section 20, provides clear intent language - that it is not the intent of the Legislature to make drastic changes removing any rights acquired by a miner, just because we are conforming the use of the terms location, license, lease or permit.

Sections 19, 21, 22, & 23 are unchanged.