University land‑grant selections could add 350,000 acres; lawmakers press for access and selection criteria

The University of Alaska’s land‑grant selection process could yield roughly 350,000 additional acres for the university endowment if state and federal steps proceed, President Pat Pitney told the Senate Finance subcommittee on March 12.

Pitney said the selections must be completed with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by December 2026 and that the parcels would then convey through the Bureau of Land Management. She identified the Ray Mountains parcel as a particularly large component of the potential conveyance and said some selections were chosen for mineral potential, recreation value and resale potential.

Senators pressed the university on public outreach, geographic distribution and public‑access protections. One committee member asked whether affected communities and stakeholders had been engaged; Pitney said the land grant office has held public forums in communities where selections are proposed. When asked about hunting and trapping access — a specific concern for rural and subsistence users — Pitney said the university is developing policy to preserve access and the land‑use approach will vary by parcel.

"Our selection was based on what could we do to monetize the property," Pitney said, adding that some parcels will be managed for mineral potential while others could be preserved for recreation and traditional uses. She emphasized the selection and monetization process is a "long game" and that specific use and access policies will be developed before or as conveyance occurs.

The subcommittee did not take formal action. Senators signaled sustained interest in selection criteria and protections for hunting and trapping on transferred lands.