00 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 46(FIN) am S 01 "An Act relating to mining; and providing for an effective date." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 27.21.100(b) is amended to read: 04  (b) Copies of records, permits, inspection materials, data obtained under 05 AS 27.21.120, or other information obtained under this chapter by the commissioner 06 relating to a surface coal mining and reclamation operation, other than information that 07 is confidential under (c) of this section, must be made immediately and conveniently 08 available to the public at the district office of the department closest to the location of 09 the surface coal mining and reclamation operation. 10 * Sec. 2. AS 27.21.120 is amended to read: 11  Sec. 27.21.120. Small operator assistance.  (a) The provisions of this 12 section apply when [IF] the commissioner finds that the probable total annual 13 production of all of the surface coal mining operations of an applicant or, if the 14 applicant is a subsidiary of another corporation, [OF] the applicant's parent corporation 01 and its subsidiaries [,] will not exceed 300,000 [100,000] tons. 02  (b) At [, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, AT] the written request of an 03 [THE] applicant, the commissioner shall 04   (1) determine, for each applicant or applicant's parent corporation 05 and subsidiaries, as appropriate, the data that may be necessary in order to 06  (A) evaluate the probable hydrologic consequences of the 07 applicant's surface mining and reclamation operations in the proposed 08 permit area and adjacent areas; 09  (B) evaluate the results of test borings on core samplings for 10 the proposed permit area; 11  (C) develop cross-section maps and plans, if required; 12  (D) fulfill archeological and historic information required by 13 AS 44.37.040(3); 14  (E) fulfill all requirements that are imposed on the applicant 15 or the applicant's parent corporation and subsidiaries if, under a 16 regulation adopted under authority of this chapter, the applicant or 17 applicant's parent corporation is required to complete a preblasting survey 18 of nearby dwellings or structures and to prepare a report of the survey; 19 and 20  (F) fulfill requirements applicable to collecting site-specific 21 resources information, producing protection and enhancement plans for 22 fish and wildlife habitats and for subsistence uses of the permit area and 23 adjacent areas, and preparing information and plans for any other 24 environmental values; and 25  (2) to the maximum extent possible with money appropriated, 26 engage, at no cost to the applicant, a qualified laboratory to collect, analyze, and 27 report the results of the data for the tasks set out in (1)(A) - (F) of this subsection 28 [PREPARE A DETERMINATION OF PROBABLE HYDROLOGIC 29 CONSEQUENCES OF THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSED OPERATION AND A 30 STATEMENT OF TEST BORING OR CORE SAMPLINGS IF THESE ARE 31 REQUIRED BY REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER AS 27.21.110]. 01 * Sec. 3. AS 27.21.120 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 02  (c) The collection and analysis of data under (b)(2) of this section may proceed 03 concurrently with the applicant's development of a reclamation plan. 04 * Sec. 4. AS 27.30.020 is amended to read: 05  Sec. 27.30.020. Procedure for requesting and taking the credit. To obtain 06 the credit authorized by this chapter, 07  (1) a person shall submit a request for the credit as follows: 08  (A) the person may [SHALL] submit a request and a statement 09 of expenditures 10   (i) whenever the amount of credit certified in the 11 request totals at least $250,000 and the period covered is at least 12 one year; or 13  (ii) when the person is ready to take the entire 14 balance of the credit, regardless of the total amount of the credit 15 [FOR THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR NOT LATER THAN 60 DAYS 16 AFTER THE CLOSE OF THAT CALENDAR YEAR]; 17  (B) the request must be on a form provided by the 18 department and 19  (i) describe the work accomplished during each [THE 20 PREVIOUS] year of the period covered by the request, the number 21 of employees, and the names and number of consultants; [AND] 22  (ii) provide a detailed list or ledger of expenditures of 23 the accomplishments described in (i) of this subparagraph and a list of 24 exploration activity data that [IN THE FUTURE] will be provided 25 [MADE AVAILABLE] to the department [COMMISSIONER UNDER 26 (2)(a) OF THIS SECTION]; and 27  (iii) provide a statement by a certified public 28 accountant that expenditures are supported by receipts for all 29 activities eligible for the credit under AS 27.30.010(a) for each 30 calendar year that these expenditures for a single mining operation 31 equal or exceed $40,000; 01  (C) the person submitting the request is not required to transmit 02 copies of receipts with the request, but the statement of expenditures is subject 03 to audit in the discretion of the commissioner; 04  (D) if the commissioner determines to audit the statement of 05 expenditures, the commissioner may require the person submitting the request 06 to justify claims of expenditures with receipts and other reliable information; 07  (E) the commissioner shall respond to the request within six 08 months of the date of submission of the request [BY SEPTEMBER 30] by 09 certifying or not certifying the person's expenditures; if the commissioner 10  (i) does not certify all of the expenditures, the 11 commissioner shall state the reasons for denial of certification of the 12 expenditures not certified and give the person making the request an 13 opportunity to correct any problems or to provide additional 14 information; 15  (ii) certifies expenditures, the commissioner shall specify 16 the exploration activity data requirements [FOR THAT YEAR] that 17 must be presented to the department at the time of the taking of the 18 credit; 19  (F) if the commissioner neither certifies nor denies certification 20 of expenditures within six months of the date of submission of the request 21 [BY SEPTEMBER 30], the expenditures are certified as submitted; 22  (2) the person whose expenditures have been certified under (1) of this 23 subsection may thereafter request the taking of the credit for the certified expenditures 24 as follows: 25  (A) the person shall deliver to the commissioner the exploration 26 activity data identified by the commissioner under (1)(E)(ii) of this section [,] 27 and shall request the commissioner's approval of the taking of the credit; 28  (B) the commissioner shall approve or disapprove the taking of 29 the credit within 60 days [SIX MONTHS] after receipt of the request for 30 taking of the credit; if the 31  (i) exploration activity data complies with the 01 requirements identified by the commissioner under (1)(E)(ii) of this 02 section, the commissioner shall approve the taking of the credit and 03 shall, within 30 days, notify the Department of Revenue that the 04 taking of the credit has been approved; 05  (ii) request is disapproved, the commissioner shall state 06 the reasons for disapproval and offer the person seeking to take the 07 credit an opportunity to correct any problems or to provide additional 08 exploration activity data or other information; 09  (C) if the commissioner neither approves nor disapproves the 10 request to take the credit within 60 days [SIX MONTHS] after submission of 11 the request, the taking of the credit is approved; the commissioner shall, 12 within 30 days, notify the Department of Revenue that the taking of the 13 credit has been approved under this subparagraph. 14 * Sec. 5. AS 27.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 15  Sec. 27.30.025 Conditional certification. (a) A person may submit a request 16 for conditional certification for the credit when 17  (1) the person has conducted or intends to conduct exploration activities 18 using an innovative technique; 19  (2) there exists a substantial question regarding the nature of the 20 exploration data that will be delivered to the department; or 21  (3) the person contemplates assigning a credit under AS 27.30.060 and 22 there exists a substantial question regarding whether the expenditures will be certified. 23  (b) A person shall submit a request for conditional certification on a form 24 provided by the department. 25  (c) The commissioner shall respond to the request within six months from the 26 date of the submission of the request for conditional certification by issuing a letter 27 stating that 28  (1) under the specific facts and circumstances proposed by the person, 29 the proposed expenditures and data appear eligible for a credit; 30  (2) there is not adequate information to determine whether the proposed 31 expenditures and data appear to be eligible for a credit; or 01  (3) the expenditures and data as presented do not appear to be eligible 02 for a credit. 03  (d) Approval of conditional certification under (c)(1) of this section does not 04 relieve a person from obtaining certification of the credit under AS 27.30.020. 05 * Sec. 6. AS 27.30.030(c) is amended to read: 06  (c) The person may not apply the credit under this section if the application[, 07 WHEN ADDED TO CREDITS PREVIOUSLY APPLIED UNDER THIS SECTION,] 08 would exceed the total amount of the credits approved under AS 27.30.020(2). 09 * Sec. 7. AS 27.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 10  Sec. 27.30.095. Fees. The commissioner may charge a fee for the direct costs 11 incurred by the department and the Department of Revenue for evaluating or auditing 12 an application to certify the credit authorized under AS 27.30.010, including the cost 13 of contractors selected by the commissioner to assist in the evaluation or audit. The 14 fee may not exceed 15  (1) $500 for each application covering one or more years if the amount 16 claimed in the application is $1,000,000 or less; 17  (2) $1,000 for each application covering one or more years if the 18 amount claimed is more than $1,000,000. 19 * Sec. 8. AS 38.05.035(e)(5) is amended to read: 20  (5) public notice requirements relating to the sale, lease, or other 21 disposal of available land or an interest in land for oil and gas proposed to be 22 scheduled in the five-year oil and gas leasing program under AS 38.05.180(b), except 23 for a sale under (6)(F) [(6)(G)] of this subsection, are as follows: 24  (A) before a public hearing, if held, or in any case not less than 25 180 days before the sale, lease, or other disposal of available land or an interest 26 in land, the director shall make available to the public a preliminary written 27 finding that states the scope of the review established under (1)(A) of this 28 subsection and includes the applicable statutes and regulations, the material 29 facts and issues in accordance with (1)(B) of this subsection, and information 30 required by (g) of this section, upon which the determination that the sale, 31 lease, or other disposal will serve the best interests of the state will be based; 01 the director shall provide opportunity for public comment on the preliminary 02 written finding for a period of not less than 60 days; 03  (B) after the public comment period for the preliminary written 04 finding and not less than 90 days before the sale, lease, or other disposal of 05 available land or an interest in land for oil and gas, the director shall make 06 available to the public a final written finding that states the scope of the review 07 established under (1)(A) of this subsection and includes the applicable statutes 08 and regulations, the material facts and issues in accordance with (1) of this 09 subsection, and information required by (g) of this section, upon which the 10 determination that the sale, lease, or other disposal will serve the best interests 11 of the state is based; 12 * Sec. 9. AS 38.05.035(e)(6) is amended to read: 13  (6) before a public hearing, if held, or in any case not less than 21 days 14 before the sale, lease, or other disposal of available land, property, resources, or 15 interests in them other than a sale, lease, or other disposal of available land or an 16 interest in land for oil and gas under (5) of this subsection, the director shall make 17 available to the public a written finding that, in accordance with (1) of this subsection, 18 sets out the material facts and applicable statutes and regulations and any other 19 information required by statute or regulation to be considered upon which the 20 determination that the sale, lease, or other disposal will best serve the interests of the 21 state was based; however, a written finding is not required before the approval of 22  (A) a contract for a negotiated sale authorized under 23 AS 38.05.115; 24  (B) a lease of land for a shore fishery site under AS 38.05.082; 25  (C) a permit or other authorization revocable by the 26 commissioner; 27  (D) a mineral claim located under AS 38.05.195; 28  (E) a mineral lease issued under AS 38.05.205; 29  (F) [A PRODUCTION LICENSE ISSUED UNDER 30 AS 38.05.207; OR 31  (G)] an exempt oil and gas lease sale under AS 38.05.180(d) of 01 acreage subject to a best interest finding issued within the previous 10 years or 02 a reoffer oil and gas lease sale under AS 38.05.180(w) of acreage subject to a 03 best interest finding issued within the previous 10 years, unless the 04 commissioner determines that substantial new information has become available 05 that justifies a supplement to the most recent best interest finding for the 06 exempt oil and gas lease sale acreage and for the reoffer oil and gas lease sale 07 acreage; however, for each oil and gas lease sale described in this 08 subparagraph, the director shall call for comments from the public; the 09 director's call for public comments must provide opportunity for public 10 comment for a period of not less than 30 days; if the director determines that 11 a supplement to the most recent best interest finding for the acreage is required 12 under this subparagraph, 13  (i) the director shall issue the supplement to the best 14 interest finding not later than 90 days before the sale; 15  (ii) not later than 45 days before the sale, the director 16 shall issue a notice describing the interests to be offered, the location 17 and time of the sale, and the terms and conditions of the sale; and 18  (iii) the supplement has the status of a final written best 19 interest finding for purposes of (i) and (l) of this section; 20   (G) [(H)] a shallow gas lease authorized under AS 38.05.177 21 in an area for which leasing is authorized under AS 38.05.177; 22   (H) a surface use lease under AS 38.05.255; 23 * Sec. 10. AS 38.05.180(d) is amended to read: 24  (d) The commissioner 25  (1) may annually offer oil and gas leases of the acreage described in 26 AS 38.05.035(e)(6)(F) [AS 38.05.035(e)(6)(G)]; 27  (2) may issue oil and gas leases in an area that has not been included 28 in a leasing program prepared, in accordance with (b) of this section, if the land to be 29 leased 30  (A) was previously subject to a valid state or federal oil and gas 31 lease; 01  (B) is contiguous to land already under state, federal, or private 02 lease and the commissioner makes a written finding, after hearing, that leasing 03 of the land would result in a substantial probability of early evaluation and 04 development of the land to be leased; 05  (C) is adjacent to land owned or controlled by another party on 06 which a discovery of commercial quantities of oil or gas has been made, and 07 the commissioner finds, after hearing, that there is a reasonable probability that 08 the land to be leased contains oil or gas in communication with the oil or gas 09 discovered on the land of the other party; 10  (D) is adjacent to land included in the federal five-year Outer 11 Continental Shelf leasing program under 43 U.S.C. 1344, and the commissioner 12 makes a written finding, after hearing, that coordinated or simultaneous leasing 13 with the federal government is in the public interest; or 14  (E) is the subject of an oil and gas exploration license issued 15 under AS 38.05.131 - 38.05.134. 16 * Sec. 11. AS 38.05.185(a) is amended to read: 17  (a) The acquisition and continuance of rights in and to deposits on state land 18 of minerals, which on January 3, 1959, were subject to location under the mining laws 19 of the United States, shall be governed by AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275. Nothing in 20 AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275 affects the law pertaining to the acquisition of rights to 21 mineral deposits owned by any other person or government. The director, with the 22 approval of the commissioner, shall determine that land from which mineral deposits 23 may be mined only under lease, and, subject to the limitations of AS 38.05.300, that 24 land that shall be closed to location under AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275 [MINING]. 25 State land may not be closed to [MINING OR MINERAL] location under 26 AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275 except as provided in AS 38.05.300 and unless the 27 commissioner makes a finding that mining would be incompatible with significant 28 surface uses on the state land. State land may not be restricted to mining under lease 29 unless the commissioner determines that potential use conflicts on the state land 30 require that mining be allowed only under written leases issued under AS 38.05.205 31 or the commissioner has determined that the land was mineral in character at the time 01 of state selection. The determinations required under this subsection shall be made in 02 compliance with land classification orders and land use plans developed under 03 AS 38.05.300. 04 * Sec. 12. AS 38.05.190(a) is amended to read: 05  (a) The right to acquire exploration and mining rights under AS 38.05.185 - 06 38.05.275 may be acquired or held only by 07  (1) citizens of the United States at least 18 years of age; 08  (2) legal guardians or trustees of citizens of the United States under 18 09 years of age on behalf of the citizens; 10  (3) persons at least 18 years of age who have declared their intention 11 to become citizens of the United States; 12  (4) aliens at least 18 years of age if the laws of their country grant like 13 privileges to citizens of the United States; 14  (5) corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any 15 state or territory of the United States and qualified to do business in this state [, 16 EXCEPT THAT IF MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE STOCK OF A 17 CORPORATION IS OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY ALIENS WHO ARE NOT 18 QUALIFIED, THE CORPORATION IS NOT QUALIFIED TO ACQUIRE OR HOLD 19 THE RIGHTS]; 20  (6) associations of persons described in (1) - (5) of this subsection. 21 * Sec. 13. AS 38.05.211(d) is repealed and reenacted to read: 22  (d) The rental amount established under this section shall be revised by the 23 commissioner as provided in this section based on changes in the Consumer Price 24 Index for all urban consumers, Anchorage Metropolitan Area (Semi-Annual Average) 25 compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, as 26 revised, rebased, or replaced by that bureau. The reference base index is the index for 27 January - June 1989, as revised or rebased by that bureau. The rental amount shall be 28 increased or decreased, as appropriate, by an amount equal to the change in the index 29 described in this subsection rounded to the nearest whole $5 unit. The commissioner 30 shall calculate the change in the rental amount each 10 years and, if the rental amount 31 must be revised, shall adopt a regulation establishing the revised rental amount. A 01 revised rental amount applies to a rental payment if the regulation establishing the 02 revised rental amount took effect at least 90 days before the date the rental payment 03 is due. 04 * Sec. 14. AS 38.05.255 is amended to read: 05  Sec. 38.05.255. Surface use of land or water. Surface uses of land or water 06 included within a mining property [PROPERTIES] by the owners, lessees, or 07 operators [OF THOSE PROPERTIES] shall be limited to those necessary for the 08 prospecting for, extraction of, or basic processing of minerals [MINERAL 09 DEPOSITS] and shall be subject to reasonable concurrent uses.  Leases [PERMITS] 10 for millsites, [AND] tailings disposal, and other mine related facilities may be issued 11 [GRANTED] by the director. The leases [PERMITS] shall be conditioned upon 12 payment of a reasonable annual rent [CHARGE] for the lease [USE] and restricted 13 to uses approved by the director [CONTINUANCE OF THE LIMITED USE]. 14 Timber from land open to mining without lease, except timberland, may be used by 15 a mining claimant or prospecting site locator for the mining or development of the 16 location or adjacent claims under common ownership. On other land, timber may be 17 acquired as provided in this chapter. Use of water shall be made in accordance with 18 AS 46.15. 19 * Sec. 15. AS 38.05.255 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 20  (b) A lease issued under this section is exempt from the provisions of 21 AS 38.05.075 - 38.05.080. 22 * Sec. 16. AS 38.05.265 is amended to read: 23  Sec. 38.05.265. Abandonment. Failure to properly record a certificate of 24 location or a statement of annual labor, [FILE WITH THE DIRECTOR WITHIN THE 25 TIME PRESCRIBED A LEASE APPLICATION,] pay any required annual rental, pay 26 any required production royalty, or keep location boundaries clearly marked as 27 required by AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.200, 38.05.207 - 38.05.245, 38.05.252 - 38.05.275, 28 [AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275] and by regulations adopted under these sections constitutes 29 abandonment of all rights acquired under the mining claim, leasehold location, 30 [LEASE,] or site involved, and the claim, location, [LEASE,] or site is subject to 31 relocation by others. A locator or claimant of an abandoned location or a successor 01 in interest may not relocate the location until one year after abandonment. A statement 02 of annual labor that does not accurately set out the essential facts is void and of no 03 effect. If an annual rental or a royalty payment is deficient but is otherwise timely 04 paid, abandonment does not result if full payment is made within 05  (1) the period prescribed by a deficiency notice from the commissioner; 06 or 07  (2) 30 days after a final judgment establishing the amount due if the 08 deficiency amount due was contested. 09 * Sec. 17. AS 38.05.945(a) is amended to read: 10  (a) This section establishes the requirements for notice given by the department 11 for the following actions: 12  (1) classification or reclassification of state land under AS 38.05.300 13 and the closing of land to mineral leasing or entry under AS 38.05.185; 14  (2) zoning of land under applicable law; 15  (3) issuance of a 16  (A) preliminary written finding under AS 38.05.035(e)(5)(A) 17 regarding the sale, lease, or disposal of an interest in state land or resources for 18 oil and gas subject to AS 38.05.180(b); 19  (B) final written finding under AS 38.05.035(e)(5)(B) regarding 20 the sale, lease, or disposal of an interest in state land or resources for oil and 21 gas subject to AS 38.05.180(b); 22  (C) written finding for the sale, lease, or disposal of an interest 23 in state land or resources under AS 38.05.035(e)(6), except an oil or gas lease 24 sale described in AS 38.05.035(e)(6)(F) [AS 38.05.035(e)(6)(G)] for which the 25 director must provide opportunity for public comment under the provisions of 26 that subparagraph; 27  (4) a competitive disposal of an interest in state land or resources after 28 final decision under AS 38.05.035(e); 29  (5) a public hearing under AS 38.05.856(b); 30  (6) a preliminary finding under AS 38.05.035(e) and 38.05.855(c) 31 concerning sites for aquatic farms and related hatcheries; 01  (7) a decision under AS 38.05.132 - 38.05.134 regarding the sale, lease, 02 or disposal of an interest in state land or resources. 03 * Sec. 18. AS 41.23 is amended by adding a new section to read: 04  Sec. 41.23.630. Petersville Recreational Mining Area. (a) The purpose of 05 this section is to establish the area described in (f) of this section as the Petersville 06 Recreational Mining Area. The Petersville Recreational Mining Area is established to 07 provide for a public recreational mining area to permit public recreational activities and 08 to allow other multiple-use activities to continue as long as the activities do not detract 09 from the primary purpose for the establishment of the Petersville Recreational Mining 10 Area. 11  (b) The commissioner is responsible for the management of the surface and 12 subsurface estate within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area necessary to carry 13 out the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall adopt and may revise a 14 management plan and shall adopt regulations for the management, use, and 15 development of the Petersville Recreational Mining Area. The management plan, 16 including any revisions, and regulations adopted by the commissioner shall be 17 developed in consultation with the commissioner of fish and game and the 18 commissioner of transportation and public facilities. The management plan and 19 regulations must address, but not be limited to, 20  (1) the methods of mining permitted within the Petersville Recreational 21 Mining Area; 22  (2) the types of mining equipment that may be used within the 23 Petersville Recreational Mining Area; 24  (3) the protection of habitat within the Petersville Recreational Mining 25 Area; and 26  (4) other restrictions consistent with the purposes stated in this section. 27  (c) Except as provided in this subsection, the Petersville Recreational Mining 28 Area is open to recreational mining under this section. The commissioner of fish and 29 game is responsible for the management of the fish and game resources and the public 30 use of fish and wildlife resources within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area 31 consistent with the purposes stated in this section. The commissioner of fish and game 01 shall issue a general permit to the public authorizing recreational mining activities 02 subject to seasonal restrictions on the mining activities within specified waterbody 03 areas necessary to maintain fishery resources within the Petersville Recreational 04 Mining Area. 05  (d) The Petersville Recreational Mining Area is closed to mineral entry under 06 AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275. 07  (e) The commissioner shall permit the construction and realignment of the 08 Petersville Road within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area as is determined 09 necessary by the commissioner of transportation and public facilities. 10  (f) The vacant and unappropriated state-owned land and water and the state 11 land and water acquired in the future that lie within the following described mining 12 claims described in United States Mineral Survey No. 2384 are reserved from all uses 13 incompatible with the purposes of this section and are assigned to the department for 14 control and management as the Petersville Recreational Mining Area: 15  (1) Township 28 North, Range 8 West, Seward Meridian 16 Sections 6 - 8: Daisy No. 2; Hidden Treasure No. 1; Hidden 17 Treasure No. 2; Flora No. 1; Flora No. 2; Moose No. 1; Beaver 18 No. 1; Alexander No. 1; Alexander No. 2; Lost Shovel No. 1; 19 Lost Shovel No. 2; Peters Creek No. 8; Peters Creek No. 9; 20 Peters Creek No. 10; Peters Creek No. 11; 21 Sections 21 and 28: Alder No. 1; Alder No. 2; Cottonwood 22 No. 3; Cottonwood No. 4; Seattle No. 1; Seattle No. 2; Contact No. 1; Contact Claim No. 2; Willow 23 Claim; Korter Bench. 24  (2) Township 28 North, Range 9 West, Seward Meridian 25 Section 1: Daisy No. 2; Hidden Treasure No. 1. 26 * Sec. 19. AS 38.05.207 and 38.05.945(g) are repealed. 27 * Sec. 20. Nothing in secs. 8 - 17 and 19 of this Act is intended to impair, remove, or 28 deny any valid, prior existing rights that have been acquired by a miner through location, 29 license, lease, or permit. 30 * Sec. 21. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS: REGULATIONS. Notwithstanding sec. 22 31 of this Act, the Department of Natural Resources may proceed to adopt regulations necessary 01 to implement the changes made by this Act. The regulations take effect under AS 44.62 02 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not before July 1, 1997. 03 * Sec. 22. Except for secs. 18 and 21 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 1997. 04 * Sec. 23. Sections 18 and 21 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).