Project Overview

Project Title: Coastal Management Plan Update
Client: Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Project Manager: Elizabeth Benson, Bristol Environmental & Engineering Services Corporation (BEESC)
Goal: Strive to retain a local voice in state and federal permitting decisions that affect coastal resources.
Objective: Amend the coastal management plan to conform to new state mandates.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Coastal Management Plan (MSBCMP) was adopted by the Assembly in 1984. The Program allows the Borough to provide local input and guidance to State and federal agencies involved in developing projects, issuing permits or managing land and coastal resources. The program also provides an information base and policies to assist the Borough in making local land and resource use decisions.

Coastal management applies to lands under 1,000 feet in elevation, and waters seaward to the three mile limit. MSBCMP enforceable policies are applied to projects requiring state and/or federal permits.

What has changed?
The Alaska Coastal Management has recently changed in ways that require significant changes in district plans like the MSBCMP. For example, districts may no longer write policies about air, land or water quality issues, as these are regulated by the Dept. of Environmental Conservation. Although mining is a development activity that may be subject to the ACMP and reviewed for consistency, districts may no longer write policies about mining activities, except for sand and gravel. Timber harvest has long been off limits, but now the proscription is more firm.

In addition, in order to have policies for many types of uses and resources, the Borough must first designate specific areas for these uses and resources. It is no longer legal for a district plan to have enforceable policies about coastal resources that can be applied on a case-by-case basis, anywhere within the coastal district. These resources, or these areas where a use occurs, must be described or mapped at a scale sufficient to determine whether a proposed project is located within the area and then justified by scientific studies or documentation of local usage. This new state requirement applies to recreation, subsistence, natural hazards, tourism, major energy facilities, habitats, commercial fishing and seafood processing, and historical areas.

What must be done?
These major changes at the state level require major changes at the community level. The original timeline was unworkably short. As such the legislature granted an extension in May, 2005. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough must now submit its Final Draft Plan amendment by March 1, 2006.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough with the help of LaRoche+Associates completed the required plan evaluation and policy analysis in July, 2004. The team of Bristol Environmental and Engineering Services, Inc. (BEESC) and LaRoche+Associates was retained by the Borough to complete the plan amendment.

Agency consultation commenced in October and continued throughout the plan revision process. A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed to assist with plan review. The purpose of the CAC was to provide a forum for discussion of the various plan elements. A Public Review Draft Plan was released April 12, 2005.

With the final deadline extended, the Borough will be conducting additional public outreach in the fall of 2005. The Borough intends to submit its Final Draft Plan Amendment on or before March 1, 2006. Refer to the project schedule and resources web pages for updates as they are available.