Talking Points, Tracked Changes, Double Your Donation
We are in for some cold, clear weather in the Susitna Watershed this week. Paired with some fierce wind, this makes for a fantastic opportunity to sit down and write public comments while listening to the wind blow. The Susitna River Coalition is truly in our busy season right now. The legislative session has provided us with lots to talk about, MEA elections are right around the corner, and The Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Management Plan is up for comment. Take a look for a quick briefing on what we have going on, and an in-depth discussion on Rec Rivers. As always, reach out with any question and wet are happy to chat with you and help you organize your comments!
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Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Management Plan Revision
Comment deadline March 5, 2024
Background: Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Management Plan
The Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Management Plan is a management plan that was passed into law in 1991 following a robust public process. This management plan mitigates user groups on six waterways within the Susitna Basin. These six waterways include the Talkeetna, Talachulitna, Lake Creek, Deshka, Alexander Creek, and the Little Susitna.
To learn more about the plan, see this webinar.
The Susitna River Coalition and many other public groups have been heavily involved with this management plan and advisory board since the potential repeal of the plan during the 2021 legislative session.
As a refresher, Senate Bill 97 was introduced to the Alaska State Legislature in spring of 2021. This bill, if it had passed, would have repealed the “establishment of recreational rivers and recreation river corridors.” There was strong opposition to this repeal. The bill was not passed in the 2021 legislative session.
In 2022, House Bill 120, a parallel bill to Senate Bill 97, was introduced in the State Legislature. Due again to strong public opposition to the repeal, the language concerning Recreation Rivers was removed, eliminating the threat of Recreation Rivers designations being . While the bills did not pass, the state was directed to form the Advisory Board. This simultaneously kicked off the process of plan revision.
The Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Advisory Board has been interfacing with one another, with DNR, and with the public since 2022 to craft a revision to the management plan. Four public scoping sessions were held during this scoping process with opportunities for input prior to taking the plan into the revision process. Monthly Advisory Board meetings took place as they made recommendations and worked with DNR to amend the plan. It should be noted that after recommendations were made by the Advisory Board to DNR, two members of the Advisory Board were removed from service by Governor Dunleavy.
During the first week of 2024, the Department of Natural Resources released the draft plan. The draft plan is available on the project webpage. During the review process, DNR held four public meetings in Talkeetna, Anchorage, Wasilla, and virtually.
When the plan was released, there was no tracked changes document. This made review of the project extremely difficult for individuals and other interested parties.
Making a Comment
Individuals can comment:
Online through this comment form.
Through email: recreationrivers@alaska.gov
Preparing Your Comment:
Only written comments are being accepted by DNR at this time. In your comment, include your connection to the area, what you are concerned about or appreciate in the revised plan and why, what you would like them to do, and thank them for the opportunity.
In your comment, please include that there should be an extension to the comment period because of this fact AND that a tracked changes document should be made available in the next step of the review process.
We encourage you to comment on the general plan as well as the river system(s) that you are most familiar with.
If you would like help writing your testimony, please email margaret@susitnarivercoalition.org
We are happy to assist in crafting your statement or clarifying information in the plan.
Comment Talking Points & Tracked Changes
General Plan Information and Tracked Changes
A document has been created that includes talking points and tracked changes in the new plan. See the document in its entirety here. Otherwise, read below for links to the document talking points and tracked changes divided into sections.
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background
See tracked changes here.
Background: Chapter one of the Management Plan highlights how the plan is to be used, how to navigate the plan, and how the plan can change.
Chapter 2: Areawide Land and Water Management Policies
See tracked changes here
Background: Chapter 2 highlights the individual policies that guide the plan. There have been changes in this section to streamline the document and update management to reflect other statewide changes.
Chapter 3: Land and Water Management Policies for each Unit
Background: Chapter 3 describes the management intent for each river management unit and subunit. Each of the individuals and businesses that utilize these regions will have insights into each of these systems and units.
See the Chapter 3 section below for tracked changes and talking points.
Little Susitna tracked changes here.
Deshka River tracked changes here.
Talkeetna River tracked changes here.
Lake Creek tracked changes here.
Talachulitna tracked changes here.
Alexander Creek tracked changes here.
Chapter 4: Implementation
See tracked changes here.
Background: Chapter 4 is the technical meat of the management plan, outlining how the plan should be utilized by managers, the public, and lawmakers. Some portions of this section have been strengthened, while other changes make the document more challenging for the public to understand.
Appendices:
See tracked changes here.
Background: The Appendices include spelled out regulations and clarifying information not included in the rest of the plan. Changes within the appendices include the omitting appendices and maps from the new plan and changes in some regulatory language.
General Plan Talking Points
If you would like to comment on the General Plan, see these talking points.General plan talking points cover Chapters 1,2,4, and Appendices.
Specific River Corridors: Chapter 3 Review
Background:
Chapter 3 breaks down the six Recreation Rivers into units and subunits. Management specific to each river corridor is highlighted in this section. Noted are concerns and commendations with the plan, but we acknowledge members of the public have intimate knowledge and may offer other important insights into the river corridor with which they are most familiar.
Little Susitna tracked changes here.
Deshka River tracked changes here.
Talkeetna River tracked changes here.
Lake Creek tracked changes here.
Talachulitna tracked changes here.
Alexander Creek tracked changes here.
See the Talking points for Chapter 3 here.
Tracked changes document reviewed and compiled by a team of individuals from
Susitna River Coalition and Trout Unlimited.
In the News
"West Susitna funding plan disguises real cost of a Dunleavy pet project"
Last month we learned that the DOT draft STIP plan submitted by the State of Alaska to Federal Highways was a complete disaster. With this massive fumble, the State of Alaska potentially squandered over 500 billion in federal fundings for various improvements across the state and and a diminished construction season. West Susitna Access was one of the projects that did not meet the criteria of the DOT STIP, calling the whole package into question.
While we have seen carelessness by AIDEA time and time again with their unpopular pursuit of the West Susitna Industrail Corridor, it was shocking to see the thoughtlessness with which the state pursued a laundry list of other projects within the state.
Dermot Cole highlights the issues with West Susitna Access in the STIP in his latest article, piecing together the vast amount of deception being used in attempt to fund and push through this pet project of Governor Dunleavy.
AIDEA has been pursuing the West Susitna Industrial Corridor for years now. After failed attempts in 404 permitting applications, the DOT took over the first 15 miles and a bridge across the Susitna as an entirely new project. As Cole states, "It was dishonest to call this “newly proposed.” It was dishonest to say this was a recreation road, not a mining road. It would have been honest to say this was a way to make the mining road appear to be far less expensive. The state did not seek public comment in advance and did not have enough information to list the cost."
Currently the DOT STIP is being revised for resubmission to Federal Highways, and Commissioner Anderson is doing his best to make the egregious application mistakes appear less offensive than they really are.
Read the article here.
Why our Community Cares:
The West Susitna Industrila Corridor has been a complicated project to follow. AIDEA has consistently changed their story about the massive project depending on the audience, making it hard for the public to discern the true intent of the project. This $450 million dollar project, in 2017 cost estimates, would change the Susitna Watershed forever. This most recent development highlights the dishonesty that the state and mining corporations will stoop to in order to reach their goals.