Alaska State Legislature

News From The House Majority

Ken Freeman, Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Measure Brings Efficiencies and Certainty to State Mining Law

For Immediate Release: May 6, 1997 Contact: Rep. Pete Kelly (907) 465-2327

JUNEAU - Promoting the mining industry in Alaska by bringing efficiencies to state mining law is the purpose of legislation passed by the Alaska State Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 18-1.

Representative Pete Kelly, sponsor of HB 46, said the bill evolved from the permitting process undergone by Fort Knox, Illinois Creek and other large operations on State land.

"In the intensive review undergone by those mines, several flaws and inconsistencies were discovered in Title 38 of state law," said Kelly.

"This is a housekeeping measure to provide several technical corrections and some efficiencies for the Department of Natural Resources' mining development practices," said Kelly.

Kelly said HB 46 is supported by the state administration and industry.

"This legislation seeks to decrease some of the uncertainty in current mining law," said Kelly. "This is also one more way the State Legislature is showing its support for resource development in Alaska."

Following is an abbreviated sectional analysis of the bill:

Sections 1,2,3,: Allow coal miners access to federal funds for a wider assortment of permitting related activities.

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.

Sections 8 thru 17: Amend Title 38 mining code to correct inconsistencies within the existing code, and to reduce paperwork.

Section 18: Establishes a 520 acre "Petersville Recreational Mining Area."

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