National Parks

Wrangell St. Elias

NPS Agrees to Follow Its Own Rules

ACE Settles with the National Park Service over ATV Use

ACE, National Parks Conservation Association and The Wilderness Society sued the National Park Service to force the agency to protect park resources by following its own rules for managing recreational, non-subsistence ATV use in the park.   NPS has agreed to follow its own rules and will begin its evaluation process this summer.  To prevent additional resource damage while the evaluation process is occurring, NPS will also effectively close the three trails with the most significant resource damage.  This case does not address ATV use by local subsistence users.

• The health of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park depends on the park service analyzing recreational ATV use and determining its impact to park resources, such as wildlife and water quality, and decide if it is compatible with park purposes.
• Currently the Park Service is using the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) regulations to permit recreational or non-subsistence ATV riding on nine trails in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
• In this case we made three claims arguing to either remove or impose greater restrictions on recreational riders in the area.  The first claim was dismissed without prejudice and can be brought up again at a later date.  The later two claims were addressed by the settlement requiring NPS to prepare an EIS and, should that EIS determine that recreational ATV riding can continue, NPS must develop a written compatibility finding
• Recreational, non-subsistence ATV riding in the park occurs by visitors who reside primarily outside of the immediate area around the park. This case seeks to address the damage caused by these recreational or non-subsistence riders. This case does not seek to restrict access to the park by local subsistence users living in resident zone communities around Wrangell-St. Elias.
• The damage done by recreational ATV riders in the park could cause all or some of these trails to be closed to all users, including local subsistence users.
• There are appropriate places for recreational ATV riding in Alaska, however we don’t believe unregulated recreational riding in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park is one of those places

Denali

Stampede Road "Improvement" Project

In 2005, Governor Murkowski charged ahead with plans to extend the Stampede Road near the northern border of Denali National Park. The state legislature, with support from the governor, earmarked $5 million in funds for the Alaska Department of Transportation to extend the local Healy road from 8 Mile Lake to the Savage River. Denali area residents do not support this gravel road project while Denali Borough Mayor Dave Talerico has suggested alternative uses of these funds to the legislature.

In 2006, the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water, received a request from Department of Transporation / Public Facilities (DOT/PF) for a 100’ wide easement for highway purposes from Eightmile Lake to the east bank of the Teklanika River. DOT/PF proposed to construct and maintain a 12’ wide, pioneer gravel road, with turnouts, bridges, and culverts, within the 100’ easement. The road would generally follow RST 340, the Lignite – Stampede Trail. The route of the easement for the proposed pioneer road would generally follow the trail as reflected by DOT/PF's GPS readings taken in the field in 2005. DNR proposed to authorize DOT/PF to construct within a 1000’ corridor centered on the existing trail.

As of January 19, 2007, the DNR has withdrawn the permit applications for Stampede Road Project. The decision and map can be reviewed here

What You Can Do:

Send a word of thanks to the DNR, letting them know you support their withdrawl of the the Stampede Road proposal:

Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks AK 99709-4699
Ph: 907-451-2740 - Fax: 907-451-2751

For further information on the proposed action, contact Kahlil Wilson at 907-451-2740 or view the original Online Public Notice.

South Denali Visitor Center

The National Park Service, in conjunction with the Mat-Su Borough and the State of Alaska, has published a final plan for a visitor access center on the south side of the Alaska Range. The park service looked at three options:

1. A no build alternative

2. A Peters Hills/Petersville Road option

3. A Curry ridge/Denali State Park site

The Curry ridge location is the final decision of the Park Service, located about one mile north of the Chulitna Bridge.

In order for this project to be a success and not spawn another glitter gulch, they must still address:

• Cumulative Impacts to Denali State Park and the surrounding area.
• Lack of Mat-Su Borough ordinances for the planning area.
• A plan for habitat or wildlife protection.
• Monetary and Budget concerns with construction and maintaining the facility.

For the final implementation plan and environmental impact assessment information visit : South Denali Planning

Or for more information, contact ACE's Public Lands Advocate at: eric@akcenter.org

Denali Backcountry Plan

Denali State Park by QT Luong

Denali National Park and Preserve is one the world’s premiere wilderness destinations.  But, the park could be very different if the National Park Service implements their preferred alternative for the Denali Backcountry Management Plan.

Denali’s wildlife, wilderness, clean air, water, and numerous opportunities for quiet and solitude have been under increased pressure.  The Park Service’s preferred alternative does very little to prevent impacts to these resources, nor restore the natural, wild Denali that we all know.  

ACE worked with a variety of other interest groups on a People's Alternative for Denali State Park. Details about this plan are provided below.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Ring of Fire Management Plan: Protecting

Southcentral Coastline

See a map of the Ring of Fire Planning Area (PDF Format)

The Bureau of Land Management is drafting a long term land management plan. This plan will span 1.3 million acres of public land, sensitive wildlife habitat, and valuable recreation areas across the southern coastal zone of Alaska.The Ring of Fire Plan will "provide a single, over-arching, comprehensive land use plan" that will direct land management decisions on these wild lands and rivers for the next 20 years.

Lands within the Ring of Fire Planning area include: (1) The Knik River Watershed - A popular off-highway vehicle recreation and hunting destination conveniently located in the heart of Alaska between Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley, (2) The Blockade Glacier & the Neacola Mountains - Snow-capped year-round, this breathtaking scenery is visible west of Anchorage, and (3) Haines' backyard wilderness - Landscapes of rugged mountains, glacial rivers, and the densest congregation of Bald Eagles in North America.

Please send comments to:

BLM Anchorage Field Office
Ring of Fire RMP/EIS
6881 Abbott Loop Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99507
akrofrmp@blm.gov

For more information go to http://www.alaskacoalition.org/blm/index_rof.htm or contact Eric Uhde eric@akcenter.org or 274-3639.

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National Wildlife Refuges

No information on National Wildlife Refuges at this time.