01/23/2026 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

                SB  75-TIMBER MANAGEMENT LEASES                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:31:31 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 75                                                               
"An Act  relating to  timber on state  lands; relating  to timber                                                               
management leases; and providing for an effective date."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:32:50 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  JESSE BJORKMAN,  District D,  Alaska State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska, provided  an overview  of SB  75. He  emphasized                                                               
that  the  state,  the  Department   of  Natural  Resources,  the                                                               
legislature, and the  people of Alaska needed a  clear and shared                                                               
vision  for  the  management  of public  lands.  He  stated  that                                                               
Alaskans  value  public  lands  and rely  on  them  for  hunting,                                                               
fishing, recreation,  hiking, and  camping, and  that maintaining                                                               
access to these  lands was essential to the state's  way of life.                                                               
He  argued that  misunderstandings had  arisen during  a proposed                                                               
State  Forest  rollout on  the  Kenai  Peninsula, partly  due  to                                                               
insufficient communication  about what state forests  are and are                                                               
not. He  explained that state  forests are  not meant to  lock up                                                               
land like  state parks but instead  allow the state to  hold land                                                               
in  public  trust  while maintaining  public  access,  supporting                                                               
timber  harvest,  reducing  wildfire fuel  loads,  and  improving                                                               
access for fire suppression.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:33:46 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN  encouraged the Department of  Natural Resources                                                               
(DNR) and the  committee to clarify the long-term  vision for how                                                               
public lands should support Alaska's  economy and land management                                                               
goals. He  noted that  recent wildfires  on the  Kenai Peninsula                                                                
mostly on federal  land but also on  some state landdemonstrated                                                                
the  need  for  active   forest  management,  including  thinning                                                               
operations,  road access,  and other  practices  that could  help                                                               
prevent large,  uncontrollable fires.  He discussed the  need for                                                               
clearer  and  more  consistent  expectations  for  public  access                                                               
across  different types  of public  lands, including  trust lands                                                               
managed  by entities  such as  the University  of Alaska  and the                                                               
Alaska Mental Health Trust. Although  these lands are technically                                                               
not  considered general  public lands,  he argued  that they  are                                                               
government-owned,  and that  the  public  should have  guaranteed                                                               
access to them.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:37:06 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN referred to Gravina  Island as an example of how                                                               
different  land  ownership  typesfederal   land  in  the  Tongass                                                               
National  Forest,  the  Southeast State  Forest,  and  university                                                               
trust lands  resulted in  significantly different  management. He                                                               
said SB 224  could support active forest  management that reduces                                                               
wildfire risk,  protects forests from  pests such as  spruce bark                                                               
beetles,  improves  wildlife   habitat,  and  promotes  healthier                                                               
forests.  He  stressed,  however,  that  any  legislation  should                                                               
include safeguards to ensure continued  public access and prevent                                                               
destructive  logging   practices.  He  concluded   by  expressing                                                               
appreciation  that SB  224  would  receive further  consideration                                                               
rather than being rushed through the legislative process.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:38:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL held SB 75 in committee.