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DNR Permits, Leases and Authorizations

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Agricultural Leases  - The Division of Mining, Land & Water issues short or long term leases that allow for activities such as grazing, haying and crop harvesting on state land. For more information, contact Erik Johnson at (907) 761-3863 or erik.johnson@alaska.gov, or dnr.scro@alaska.gov.

Agricultural Land Use Permits - The Division of Mining, Land & Water issues land use permits that allow for activities such as grazing, haying and crop harvesting on state lands. These permits are generally issued on a short term basis while adjudicating longer term authorizations. For more information, contact dnr.scro@alaska.gov.

Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund (ARLF) Caretaker Agreement - The Division of Agriculture issues land use permits that allow for short term use of a property (as a means to protect the asset) prior to its sale. For more information, contact Amanda Swanson at (907) 761-3869 or amanda.swanson@alaska.gov.

Alaska Grown Logo Use Authorization - A form must be completed to request use of the logo on Alaska agricultural products and returned to the Division of Agriculture. The form is then reviewed to see if it meets the program criteria. For more information, contact Johanna Herron at (907) 745-7200 or johanna.herron@alaska.gov.

Alaska Revolving Loan Fund (ARLF) Asset Lease - The Division of Agriculture issues land use permits that allow for long-term use of a property. For more information, contact Amanda Swanson at (907) 761-3869 or amanda.swanson@alaska.gov.

Alaska State Park Permits are issued for special events, archaeology, access, boat storage and commercial uses on state park lands.

Annual Placer Mining (APMA) or Plan of Operation Application and Plan Approval is a permit application process and plan approval for mining and reclamation of locatable as well as saleable minerals. Approvals are issued for a term of 1-5 years, and up to 10 years for leases. For further information, contact the Division of Mining, Land & Water, at (907) 458-2736 or dnr.fbx.mining@alaska.gov.

Aquatic Farming Lease is a ten-year property right granted by the Division of Mining, Land & Water that allows a lessee to develop the state's tide and submerged lands into a shellfish or sea plant farm. For more informationcontact dnr.scro@alaska.gov.

Bee Colony Registration - Purchasers of bee colonies are required to send a card to the Division of Agriculture indicating number and locations of colonies. For more information, contact the division at (907) 745-7200.

Brand Registration - Division of Agriculture is responsible for the recording of brands or marks used on livestock, which can be used as proof of ownership in court. For more information, contact the division at (907) 745-7200.

Burn Permits are issued by the Division of Forestry for open burning during certain times of the year. Regulations, application, and registration are available on-line.

Certificates of Approval to Construct, Modify, Remove or Abandon a Dam and Certificates of Approval to Operate a Dam - approval of plans and specifications for proposed work and approval of operational requirements for in-service dams are issued by the Division of Mining, Land & Water through its Dam Safety ProgramFor more informationcontact Charles Cobb at (907) 269-8636 or charles.cobb@alaska.gov.

Certificates of Reservation are water rights that protect instream flows and levels of water for specific use. For more information, contact Kimberly Sager at (907) 269-2033 or kimberly.sager@alaska.gov.

Coal Prospecting Permits or Coal Leases for coal deposits on state-owned land can be issued if DNR conducts a disposal of interest for a specific land area for coal. If known coal deposits exist, the DNR conducts a competitive lease disposal, otherwise a noncompetitive coal prospecting permit disposal is held. Leases are issued for indeterminate terms and coal prospecting permits have 3-year terms with the option for renewal. Permit acreage may be converted to lease upon demonstration of a workable coal deposit. For more information, contact 907-269-8650 or coalprogram@alaska.gov.

Competitive Oil and Gas Lease - The Division of Oil and Gas issues leases, through a competitive sale process, allowing for the exploration and development of oil and gas on state land. The Five Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program provides a stable and predictable schedule of proposed lease sales. Typically, during a lease sale, the bidder having the highest bonus bid is awarded a lease, no larger than 5,760 acres, for a term of 5 to 10 years depending upon the specific sale. Leases can continue indefinitely if held by production. An inventory of active oil and gas leases is updated monthly.

Exploration Licenses - The Division of Oil and Gas issues exploration licenses to stimulate exploration of oil and gas in remote areas of the state. Each April applicants may submit proposals for licenses. At any time the Commissioner may solicit license proposals for a specific area. A license, with a term of up to 10 years, will be awarded to the applicant who has committed the most dollars to an exploration program. The license area must be between 10,000 and 500,000 acres. During its term any portion of the licensed area may be converted to oil and gas leases.

Field Archaeology Permits are issued through the Office of History and Archaeology. This permit is issued to qualified persons desiring to conduct archaeological investigations on state land.

Firewood Permits allow an individual to take between 3 and 10 cords of wood per year from designated state land for personal use. You can use the Division of Forestry's online Firewood Permit System (http://forestry.alaska.gov/FPS/) to find specific sites around the state and obtain a permit, or you can contact your local Division of Forestry office for more information.

Geophysical Exploration Permit - a specific type of land use permit issued by the Division of Oil and Gas. Seismic surveys are the most common activity authorized by this permit.

Grazing Permits and LeasesThe Department of Natural Resources issues permits and leases allowing livestock to graze on state land, subject to a best interest finding. To learn more, contact Erik Johnson at 907-761-3863 or erik.johnson@alaska.gov

Kenai River Commercial Guide Permits are issued by the Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation.

Land Use Permits & Leases issued by the Division of Mining, Land & Water authorize use of state land for commercial and non-commercial purposes. They may include but are not limited to tideland permits and leases, commercial recreation permits, right-of-ways and easements, material sales, floathomes, trapping cabin permits and land use permits. For more information, go to the division's permit page or contact the Public Information Center at (907) 269-8400.

Material Sales from state land are issued by the Division of Mining, Land and Water and the State Pipeline Coordinator's Office. New material sites or sources require a designation process before sales can be made from those sites but sales from designated sites are routinely made by the department. In the Southcentral Region, contact dnr.scro@alaska.gov. In the Northern Region, contact Julie Smith at (907) 451-3010 or julie.smith@alaska.gov. In the Southeastern Region, contact Alexandria Lawrence at (907) 465-3442 or alexandria.lawrence@alaska.gov.  

A Millsite Permit is a "surface authorization" for a mill facility associated with a locatable mining operation. Generally this permit is for fixed mill facilities that will not be moved as mining of a deposit migrates. For more information, contact (907) 269-8648 or dnr.dmlw.mpm@alaska.gov.

Mining Claims are used to acquire locatable mineral rights. They may be 40 acres or 160 acres in size and remain "active" so long as rent is timely paid and annual labor requirements are met. Claims may need to be converted to an upland mining lease before minerals can be extracted if other resources are affected. Before locatable minerals can be mined, a mining permit application (APMA or plan of operation and reclamation plan) must be filed and approved. For more information, contact (907) 269-8648 or dnr.dmlw.mpm@alaska.gov.

Mining Licenses are issued by the Department of Revenue for all mining operations in the State. A license is issued for the purpose of tracking activity, the filing of a mining license tax return, and payment of any required tax. For further information, contact (907) 269-6620 or dor.tax.mining@alaska.gov.

Offshore Mining Leases and Prospecting Permits for locatable or potential locatable minerals on state-owned tide and submerged lands may be issued if the DNR conducts a Disposal of Interest for a specific offshore area. For more information, contact Aleria Knudson at (907) 269-8648 or dnr.dmlw.mpm@alaska.gov.

Permits & Certificates to Appropriate Water (Water Rights) - The Division of Mining, Land & Water issues permits and certificates for legal right to use ground and surface water (for all types of beneficial uses, including domestic). For more information, contact (907) 269-8505 or southcentral.waterrights@alaska.gov.

Plan of Operations - Before activities can take place on an oil and gas lease, the lease holder must submit a Plan of Operations to the Division of Oil & Gas for approval.

Prospecting Sites are for acquiring potential "locatable" mineral rights (base and precious metals) that have not been discovered yet. Prospecting sites have a term of two years and are staked like a mining claim. For more information, contact (907) 269-8648 or dnr.dmlw.mpm@alaska.gov.

Shorefishery Leases - The Division of Mining, Land & Water issues shore fishery (set net) leases which gives the leaseholder first priority to use a shore fishery site for commercial salmon set net fishing on state-owned tidelands. For more information, contact dnr.scro@alaska.gov.

Special Use Permits are issued by the Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation for events such as large group camping, weddings, guided tours and scientific research.

State Pipeline Coordinator's Office issues all permits and leases necessary for common carrier pipelines built in Alaska.

Temporary Water Use Permits provide permission to use water for up to five years. No water right priority is established by this permit. For more information, contact (907) 269-7495 or dnr.twua@alaska.gov.