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Lawmakers hear HB220 to speed easements for utilities in state parks; utilities urge swift action
Summary
In a first hearing on HB220, sponsor Representative Kevin McCabe and staff said the bill would require DNR to grant easements when statutory criteria are met, establish a 60-day decision deadline, and allow automatic approval if DNR fails to act; utilities and the Alaska Telecom Association supported the bill, citing permitting delays that threaten broadband and reliability projects.
Representative Kevin McCabe introduced House Bill 220 on Thursday, a first hearing that would clarify and tighten timelines for granting easements and rights-of-way in Alaska state parks when statutory criteria are met.
McCabe said utilities and property owners increasingly encounter inconsistent standards and long delays when seeking easements across park land. "The remedy is for a legislative fix," he said, recounting an example at Nancy Lake where an underwater power line serving adjacent properties is at the end of its useful life and DNR has denied or delayed replacement under a newer lake…
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