Vallenar Bay Road Restrictions

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Vallenar Bay Road Restrictions

State of Alaska

Department of Natural Resources

Division of Forestry and Fire Protection

Southeast Area Office

Vallenar Bay Road Restrictions

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Fire Protection (DFFP), gives formal notice that the Division is issuing an administrative order under the authority of AS 35.05.035 (a)(02) and (07) temporarily restricting the public's use of the Vallenar Bay Road on Gravina Island. The purpose of this restriction is to protect life, safety, and property per AS. 38.04.058 and AS 38.04.200(3). This restriction is associated with the road's temporary use supporting the harvest of timber from the Vallenar Bay GNA Timber Sale (SSE-1345-K) on State Forest and USFS managed land and as well as timber harvest occurring on other lands. The Vallenar Bay Road is restricted to commercial and administrative traffic associated with these timber harvest operations. The decision to temporarily restrict vehicle use of the road when operations are occurring was previously decided in the Vallenar Bay Forest Land Use Plan, SSE-1345-K, and is not appealable.

Public use of the road is discouraged during periods of road construction, log hauling, cutting, or logging occurring on or adjacent to the road to protect public safety, equipment, and the value of the timber resource. Vehicle use of the road system by the public is not authorized when signed as closed at the old mill site junction. Local resident and business traffic shall coordinate with the DOF prior to the use of the road. Pedestrian use of the road is not restricted. The period of restriction was implemented on September 1, 2020 and is estimated to last until operations have concluded in late 2026.

This restriction is associated with approximately 2,500 acres of land in the Vallenar Planning Unit of the Southeast State Forest and the associated DFFP access easement on Ketchikan Gateway Borough Land.

The project area is on the north end of Gravina Island. Vallenar Bay is approximately five miles west of the Ketchikan International Airport and is viewable on USGS quadrangle Ketchikan B-6. The road corridor crosses State and Ketchikan Gateway Borough land in Sections 5, 6 and 8 of T75S, R90E; Sections 35 and 36 of T74S, R89 E; Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23 and 24 of T75S, R89E all within Copper River Meridian.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection Contact: Area Forester

2417 Tongass Avenue, Suite 213 Phone: 907-225-3070

Ketchikan, AK 99901 Email: [email protected]

Copies of the complete order are available for review at the Division's Area Office and the Division's web site at https://http://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/ketchikan as well as at the State online public notice web page.

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