HB128 • 2026

CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS

An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND
Last action: 2025-03-10
Official status: (H) TRA
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text specifies that boundary modifications require legislative approval, but this is a separate provision from the easement rules and was omitted to keep the summary focused on the main road management changes.

HB 128: Chugach State Park Management and Road Easements

This bill assigns full management of Chugach State Park to one department, allows that department to grant road easements to municipalities if they pay for them, and keeps the Department of Transportation responsible for existing public roads unless a municipality takes over.

What This Bill Does

Assigns control, development, and maintenance of state land, water, and roadside structures in Chugach State Park entirely to one department instead of splitting duties with another agency.
Allows the department to grant easements or rights-of-way to municipalities for building, repairing, or maintaining roads inside the park if specific conditions are met.
Requires that any municipality receiving an easement must pay all costs and agree to maintain those facilities for the duration of the grant term.
Mandates public notice and at least one hearing before granting a new road easement.
Keeps the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities responsible for fixing existing public roads unless a municipality takes over that work under an approved easement.

Who It Names or Affects

The state department managing Chugach State Park
Municipalities requesting road access or repairs within the park
The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

Terms To Know

Easement: A legal right granted to use someone else's land for a specific purpose, such as building or fixing a road.
Right-of-way: The space of land needed to build and maintain roads, bridges, or other transportation facilities.

Limits and Unknowns

Easements can only be granted if the commissioner finds they improve public access and are in the public interest.
Municipalities must cover all costs for new road projects; the state does not fund these specific grants.

Bill History

2025-03-10 322
(H) REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
2025-03-10 322
(H) TRA, RES
2025-03-10 322
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS
An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0128a -1- HB 128
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HOUSE BILL NO. 128

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND

Introduced: 3/10/25
Referred: Transportation, Resources

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 41.21.122 is amended to read: 3
Sec. 41.21.122. Management respons ibility. Except as provided by (b) and 4
(c) of this section, control, development, and maintenance of [THE] state land and 5
water described in AS 41.21.121 as the Chugach State Park and control of roadside 6
structures within the park is assigned to the department [FOR CONTROL, 7
DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE, EXCEPT THAT THE DEPARTMENT 8
OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 9
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL EXISTING PUBLIC ROADS WITHIN 10
THE PARK. THE CONTROL OF HIGHWAY ACCESS AND ROADSIDE 11
STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CHUGACH STATE PARK IS THE 12
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT]. The Department of Fish and G ame 13
shall cooperate with the department to provide for those purpos es under AS 41.21.121 14
relevant to the duties of the D epartment of Fish and Game. If, in the exercise of 15
34-LS0547\N
HB 128 -2- HB0128a
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management responsibility under t his section, c onflicts of land o w n e r s h i p , 1
jurisdiction, or authority are unr econcilable or unmanageable o ther than at an 2
unreasonable cost and expense to the state, the commissioner , after public hearing in 3
accordance with AS 44.62, may modify, subject to the appr oval of the legislature, the 4
boundaries of the Chugach State Park , not to exceed 20 percent of the total acreage 5
described in AS 41.21.121. 6
* Sec. 2. AS 41.21.122 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 7
(b) The department may grant an easement or right-of-way withi n the 8
Chugach State Park for the purpos es of repairing, maintaining, and constructing roads 9
and related facilities within the park to a municipality if 10
(1) the easement or right-of-way is requested by the municipality; 11
(2) the municipality bears any costs associated with the grant ed 12
easement or right-of-way and facilities related to the easement or right-of-way; 13
(3) the municipality assumes the duty of maintaining the easem ent or 14
right-of-way and any related constructed facilities for the duration of the grant; 15
(4) the easement or right-of-way sets out the period of its du ration, 16
whether temporary or perpetual; 17
(5) the department provides notice of the proposed grant in the manner 18
provided by AS 44.62.190 and 44.62.200 and conducts at least on e hearing in 19
accordance with the provisions of AS 44.62.210; and 20
(6) the commissioner finds that granting the easement or right-of-way 21
(A) will improve, facilitate, or maintain public access to the 22
park; and 23
(B) is in the public interest. 24
(c) The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities sha ll repair and 25
maintain existing public roads within the Chugach State Park ex cept for repairs and 26
maintenance performed by a municipality under (b) of this section. 27
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2025. 28