Alaska revises maps of 5.7 million acres it may relinquish

Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources revised preliminary maps on Oct. 8 showing about 5.7 million acres of state land selections being considered for possible relinquishment. The mapped acreage and parcel choices are not final.

Statehood land selections are parcels Alaska selected toward its land entitlement under the Alaska Statehood Act. DNR says the effort is being conducted under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and the Alaska Land Transfer Acceleration Act. The agency reports that Alaska’s current selections and top filings total more than 19 million acres and says the state intends to relinquish lower-priority selections. DNR also reports an original entitlement of 105 million acres, about 102 million acres titled to date and roughly 3.2 million acres of entitlement remaining.

The map update did not relinquish land or change ownership or access. DNR says it will publish notices for proposed relinquishments, covering individual parcels or larger groups, with public input and decisions handled through the state’s online public-notice system.