DNR presents FY26 budget requests to House finance subcommittee, seeks new authority for facilities, forestry, broadband and parks

The Department of Natural Resources on Jan. 27 presented the governor's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and program requests to the House Finance Department Natural Resources Subcommittee in Room 124, outlining new interagency receipt authority for state facilities, proposed staffing increases across multiple divisions and priorities tied to state land entitlements and permitting.

Commissioner John Boyle, accompanied by Deputy Commissioners Brent Goodrum and John Crother, framed DNR's work as central to Alaska's economy and resource management. "I would argue, the best job in the state," Boyle said of his role, adding that DNR's mission draws on a broad set of services from park rangers to wildland firefighters.

Why it matters: The presentation lays out where the department is asking for new ongoing authorities and positions that would affect timber and forest management, wildfire preparedness, permitting for large projects, broadband easements on state land, and park operations. Those changes would affect state operations and private-sector permitting and could be tied to future federal actions on public land orders that the department says may free up remaining state land entitlements.

Overview and budget context Deputy Commissioner Brent Goodrum told the subcommittee the FY24 actuals include an unrestricted general‑fund amount for fire emergency declarations of $77,900,000 and that the department is showing an approximate $11,200,000 increase in its "other funds" category in the FY26 proposal. Goodrum said there is also an increase in position count from the FY25 management plan to the FY26 governor's budget. "For every general fund dollar appropriated to DNR, DNR generates $21 in revenue," Goodrum said, citing a 10‑year revenue average presented in the subcommittee book.

Key line items and requests described (amounts and positions as presented) - State facilities maintenance and operations: Add interagency receipt authority (largest single component cited was $7,800,000) to track and report facilities, utilities, repairs and related costs across DNR. The change responds to prior legislative intent language requiring separate presentation of facility operations and maintenance costs. - Mental Health Trust Land Office: $5,556,600 in Mental Health Trust authority for trust land office administration (operating costs, personal services and contractual expenses). - Division of Mining, Land and Water — Big game guide concession areas (implementation of Senate Bill 189): $342,000 UGF and 2 permanent full‑time positions to draft regulations, develop selection criteria, evaluate applications and issue permits under SB 189 (effective FY2025). - Division of Mining, Land and Water — Broadband easement processing: $306,000 UGF and 2 permanent full‑time positions (2/3 FTE noted) for easement application processing to support broadband and highway projects (two‑year increment tied to IIJA opportunities). - Division of Forestry and Fire Protection — Forest management and development: $858,000 UGF and 3 permanent full‑time positions to develop forest infrastructure and timber sales (includes requests to stabilize funding for heavy equipment operators, GIS analysts and foresters currently funded by temporary capital or federal sources, plus new forester in Haines, an engineer and an accounting technician 3). - Forestry — Expanded receipt capacity for forest management: $800,000 in statutory designated program receipts to accept Denali Commission grant funding for reforestation, fire mitigation and forest health treatments on private lands. - Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys — Natural disaster emergency response and prevention: $648,400 UGF and 2 permanent positions (geologist 2 and GIS analyst 2) to establish a team for geologic hazard assessments and emergency response support. - Fire suppression preparedness: $1,500,000 in statutory designated program receipt authority to collect revenues from compact partners and aviation/contract savings to reduce reliance on UGF. - Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation — Boating safety program receipts: Authority for up to $302,000 in boating safety program receipts under AS 05.25.096 for FY2025 (language intended to be repeated in follow‑on operating bills).

Questions and clarifications from committee members Representative Rauscher asked whether separating the Division of Agriculture (contemplated in other discussions) would change the percentage increase Goodrum cited; Goodrum said "nothing in the current budget in the FY26 budget changes right now for the Division of Agriculture" and that figures tied to a potential executive order and reorganization would be released separately if an EO moves forward.

Representative Fields asked whether park fee receipts collected in fee boxes could be reinvested in the parks where they were paid; Goodrum said program receipts are important to divisional parks and that "probably just over 50%" of parks' operating budget is supported by those receipts and that those monies are invested back into those parks.

Representative Sadler asked whether the new facilities interagency receipt authority covered deferred maintenance; Goodrum replied, "This does not, cover, standard maintenance or, deferred maintenance. This is essentially for our, facilities, and other other, cost that the department has." (transcript punctuation preserved)

State land entitlement and federal actions Commissioner Boyle told the committee DNR has been preparing for possible shifts in federal land management and the lifting of public land orders that have limited the state's ability to take title to remaining entitlement lands. Boyle said Alaska was promised roughly 105,000,000 acres at statehood and has received about 100,000,000 acres, leaving roughly 5,000,000 acres outstanding. He said recent executive actions at the federal level may prompt the Department of the Interior to reevaluate public land orders, which could allow the state to proceed on outstanding entitlements, help resolve Alaska Native corporation and University of Alaska entitlements, and facilitate access for resource development.

No formal votes The subcommittee heard the departmental presentation and took questions but did not take formal votes on any budget items at this meeting. Chair Schrage asked members to hold additional questions until the next meeting; the subcommittee did not meet again that week and adjourned at 1:28 p.m.

Ending The department's presentation and the subcommittee's questions set the groundwork for more detailed budget hearings; staff and the legislative finance division materials in the committee binders will be used in follow‑on reviews of specific operating and capital requests.