March 4, 2020
The Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office (TLO) has launched a website that will allow the purchase of General Permits for non-commercial use of Trust lands conveniently and immediately online. While permits have always been required for use of Trust land, this new online tool provides several new permitting options and makes attaining a General Permit simple for land users.
General Permits are TLO authorizations necessary when non-commercial use of Trust land will include camping overnight, the use of authorized motorized vehicles, or activities like subsistence trapping, or personal firewood harvest. Public recreational use of Trust land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities that is day-use only, non-commercial, non-motorized, and in compliance with applicable state, federal and local laws will continue to be allowed on Trust lands without a General Permit.
The TLO issued a public notice related to its proposed new General Permit structure last year, and based on public comments, modified the permit structure by lowering fees and providing more permitting flexibility and options. General Permit fees for non-commercial recreation use start at $10 per day, and can be purchased for daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly use of Trust land. General Permits for personal firewood can be purchased by number of cords, and for trapping by duration of use.
“We are excited to launch this new online permit site because it makes attaining proper permits for using Trust land simple and quick, and it showcases the many affordable permit options available,” said Wyn Menefee, Executive Director of the Trust Land Office. “Our mission at the TLO is to generate revenue from Trust lands and to protect the value of Trust lands – this permit helps us do both, which is great news for Trust beneficiaries.”
The online General Permit webpage can be accessed here: alaskamentalhealthtrust.org/landpermits. You can also find a map of all Trust lands on the Trust Land Office webpage. The TLO does have the right to close Trust land to public access; at this time, the only Trust land closure is the Icy Cape parcel located near Yakutat.
By law, the TLO has a responsibility to maximize long-term revenue from Trust land, protect and enhance the long-term productivity of Trust land, encourage a diversity of revenue-producing uses, and manage Trust land with accountability to the Trust and its beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of the Trust include Alaskans who experience mental illness, developmental disabilities, chronic alcoholism and other substance related disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, and traumatic brain injuries.
Contact:
Allison Biastock, Chief Communications Officer , 907.334.2531, allison.biastock@alaska.gov