Proposed Land Conveyance to Alaska Industrial Development Export Authority near the city of Houston

Requesting Input for ADL 234762: Proposed Noncompetitive Sale to Public and Charitable Use Applicant. Comment Period Ends 5:00PM, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The State of Alaska (State), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Mining, Land and Water (DMLW) proposes to convey approximately 19,950 acres (subject parcel) of State-owned land in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) through a noncompetitive public and charitable use conveyance.

Location: The subject parcel is located within DNR’s Southcentral Region, approximately two miles north of Houston in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, within Township 18 North, and Township 19 North, all Seward Meridian.

To obtain a copy of the Preliminary Decision, Amendment to the Southeast Susitna Area Plan, Land Classification Order, Mineral Order, or instructions on submitting comment, see the attached Preliminary Decision PDF. For assistance in obtaining the documents by an alternative method, to request auxiliary aids, services, or special accommodations, contact DNR’s Public Information Centers on State work days, Monday through Friday, between 8:00AM and 4:30PM in Anchorage at 907-269-8400, Fairbanks at 907-451-2705, or the Southeast Land Office in Juneau at 907-465-3400 (TTY for the hearing impaired for all locations: 711 for Alaska relay or 800-770-8973), or go to https://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/pic/ for additional contact information. Individuals who require special assistance must request assistance from the Public Information Center in Anchorage no later than 4:00 PM, Wednesday, AUGUST 19, 2026.

Pursuant to AS 38.05.945 Notice, the public is invited to submit comment on the Preliminary Decision, Draft Area Plan Amendment, Draft Land Classification Order, and Draft Mineral Order for which notice is being conducted concurrently. If commenting on more than one proposed action, separate comments should be submitted for each. The deadline for public comment is 5:00 PM, Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Only persons from whom DNR DMLW LCS receives timely, written comment during the identified comment period will be eligible to file an appeal of the Final Finding and Decision or related actions. Written comment may be received by email, fax, or postal mail.

You may comment on the Preliminary Decision by submitting written comments to the online public comment portal at: https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/comment/submit/?topic=aidea_pcua or by electronic mail at dmlwprogramsupport@alaska.gov. Comments can also be submitted by facsimile at 907-269-8916, or by mail at 550 W. 7^th Ave. Ste. 1050, Anchorage, AK, 99501. If you have questions, call Daniel Jenkins at 907-269-8609.

If no significant change is required, the Preliminary Decision and related actions including any minor changes and a summary of comments and responses, will be issued as the Final Finding and Decision, Area Plan Amendment SC-08-001A04, Land Classification Order NO SC-08-001A04, Mineral Order 1330 without further notice. A copy of the Final Finding and Decision and the related actions will be sent to any persons who commented timely on the Preliminary Decision.

DNR reserves the right to waive technical defects in this notice.

Attachments

• AIDEA_.810_Application_Complete_R.pdf
• Houston Industrial Park .810 Decision-PD.pdf
• Vicinity Map – ADL 234762.jpg

To view the maps, etc visit: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224431

Dennis Garrett submitted a public comment online to the Alaska Division of Mining, Land, and Water on 8/17/2026. Thank you for your input!

Comment:

I am writing to respectfully request an extension on the time to submit comments for this proposal. I, and many others, believe that the Public has had insufficient notice, time for meetings and discussions, and to comment, due to the nature of the Public Notice. A proposal of this scale, and with resultant potential effects on the future of our communities, deserves a much more engaged, transparent, and robust Public Process than a notice buried in amongst the others.

See also: https://www.thebiglaketimes.com/2026/08/13/big-lake-community-council-formally-requests-an-extension-for-houston-area-land-conveyance-to-aidea/