Supplemental Notice of Proposed Changes to DNR Water Management Regulations

SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES RELATING TO WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Natural Resources proposes to amend its water management regulations. On January 15, 2021, the Department of Natural Resources publicly noticed its proposed changes to water management regulations in 11 AAC 93. The department extended the comment period twice, on February 26, and on March 16, 2021, with a final deadline for comments on April 2, 2021. The department reviewed public comments and is opting to postpone proposed changes relating to applications and certificates for instream flow reservations. The department will move forward with the remaining regulation changes proposed in the January 2021 regulations package: 11 AAC 93.115 Closure of an application for a water right 11 AAC 93.210 Temporary water use 11 AAC 93.220 Procedure for temporary water use 11 AAC 93.510 Public notice and meeting (for Critical Water

Management Areas) 11 AAC 93.530 Effect of the order 11 AAC 93.970 Definitions Some modifications have been made to the January 2021 proposed changes after a thorough review of public comments. A copy of the proposed regulations is available for review on the Alaska Online Public Notice System; on the Division of Mining, Land and Water website at https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/news/; or by contacting the division by email at dmlwprogramsupport@alaska.gov. You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments on the division’s online comment portal at https://alaskadnr.commentinput.com/?id=FiCphsA95; by mail to Molly Benson at the Division of Mining, Land and Water, 550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 1070, Anchorage, AK 99501-3579; or by email at dmlwprogramsupport@alaska.gov. The comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 13, 2023. Please note that all comments become public records subject to public inspection. You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to the contact information provided above. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period (by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023). The division will aggregate its responses to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and on the division’s website at https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/news/. If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Molly Benson by email at dmlwprogramsupport@alaska.gov or by phone at 269-8601 no later than Friday, November 3, 2023, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided. After the public comment period ends, the department will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations. You should comment during the time allowed if their interests could be affected.