Write a letter to support CALLA's appeal
DNR denied CALLA's proposal to classify the land as Public Recreation and Habitat. Click here to read the determination. We are appealing. They did not invite the public (YOU) to comment.
October 15th, 2021 is the absolute deadline to support CALLA's Public Recreation Classification to be included with CALLA's appeal.
I only have time to write one letter.
THANK YOU. We appreciate you taking any time to help.
Your letter can be a combined show of support for CALLA's proposal, as well as public comment to DNR. You can elucidate all the points below when writing your letter.
I have time to write two letters!
Great that is AWESOME.
Your first letter should be a letter of support for CALLA's proposal, and you can just pay attention to the first point below, when writing this letter.
Your second letter is a public comment to DNR, and you can get more detail on how to write that one by clicking here.
1. Denial of CALLA’s proposal to classify the parcel as Public Recreation-dispersed, and Habitat. While DNR indicated it would issue a public comment period on this denial, they actually rejected it out of hand with no public notice, participation, or input. It was denied in a letter directed to CALLA. They did not open a public comment period. We had 20 days to appeal it to the DNR Commissioner, and we did appeal. So did the Mat-Su Borough as an “aggrieved party”.
So we would like letters sent to us, Comsat Area Lakes and Land Alliance (CALLA), and we will enter those letters of support into the record as part of our appeal package submitted to the Commissioner. Then, when Commissioner Feige rejects our appeal, we can appeal her rejection to the state’s Superior Court, and all the letters of support we’ve ensured are definitely part of the record will be reviewed by the judge.
2. DNR has issued a Preliminary Decision to designate 113 acres of the state land next to Talkeetna Lakes Park as a Designated Material Site. This site status is required for material to be sold or removed from state land. Instead of the public getting advance notice prior to the state selling materials each time, it is a blank check to the state that says the public pre-approves any kind of material extraction the state wants; rock, gravel, peat, etc. This designation is a one-time public notice, that forevermore the site’s purpose is material extraction, and that can be accomplished in any myriad of ways, in any scale, or type, and in perpetuity without further public input. It has combined this with a second item to issue an ILMA. After decision and notice, the department may sell materials continuously, without further finding or notice, from that designated source or site under this section until the source or site is closed by the department.
3. DNR issued a pre-determination to issue an Interagency Land Management Agreement (ILMA) to ADOT &PF which will transfer site management of the designated material site to DOT for any or some amount of time. DOT has put forth a proposed plan to hire contractors annually to produce 5000-20,000 CY (cubic yards) of rock and gravel from the site for DOT use. The deadline for public comments is October 25th, 2021. The final determination is appealable to State Superior court, but that appeal may only rely on previously submitted documents used by DNR in this determination.
This will be the public’s first and only opportunity to comment on the use of this site as a permanent material site, as a quarry, or for any other alternative use.
Thank you!
How do I write the letter?
You can click here to autogenerate an email
If everything went swimmingly your email will look like this:
If that link does not work, here is the nitty gritty detail of who to send your email to
You should directly email these people
- Corri.feige@alaska.gov
- Marty.parsons@alaska.gov
- Carol.hasburgh@alaska.gov
- tmeacham@gci.net
- Mike.brown@matsugov.us
- Alex.strawn@matsugov.us
- Tamboevedistrict7@gmail.com
- contact@talkeetnacouncil.org
- rebfisher@gmail.com
- jon@talkeetnacouncil.org
What should I write for content?
If you write something akin to
- "I don't like the idea of a quarry"
This will elicit the response "comment received", and we don't want that.
You can use the section below with Talking Points to inspire yourself and obtain information for your letter!