Key Performance Indicators
Department of Natural Resources
Mission
Develop, conserve and maximize the use of Alaska's natural resources consistent with the public interest. Alaska Constitution Article 8; AS 03, AS 27, AS 38, AS 40, AS 41, AS 43.90, AS 14.30.740
Key Performance Indicators
2. | Mitigate threat to the public from natural hazards by providing comprehensive fire protection services on state, private and municipal lands, and through identifying significant geologic hazards. |
Funding | Positions | ||||||
UGF Funds | DGF Funds | Other Funds | Federal Funds | Total Funds | Full Time | Part Time | Non Perm | ||
$32,859.8 | $665.2 | $3,032.9 | $25,666.0 | $62,223.9 | 44 | 191 | 1 |
3. | Provide access to state lands for public and private use, settlement, and recreation. |
Funding | Positions | ||||||
UGF Funds | DGF Funds | Other Funds | Federal Funds | Total Funds | Full Time | Part Time | Non Perm | ||
$4,559.7 | $17,754.1 | $5,098.5 | $2,136.4 | $29,548.7 | 177 | 29 | 35 |
4. | Ensure sufficient data acquisition and assessment of land and resources to foster responsible resource and community development and public safety. |
Funding | Positions | ||||||
UGF Funds | DGF Funds | Other Funds | Federal Funds | Total Funds | Full Time | Part Time | Non Perm | ||
$6,653.6 | $3,512.2 | $4,803.8 | $3,239.3 | $18,208.9 | 93 | 12 | 10 |
Performance Detail
1: Foster responsible commercial development and use of state land and natural resources, consistent with the public interest, for long-term wealth and employment. |
Target #1: Offer 200 parcels of land at auction.
NOTE: In calendar year 2013, the annual auction was moved from June, 2013 to July, 2014, which accounts for the fact that there was no auction in 2013. In addition, hundreds of "lost parcels" were found and offered in FY2012 and a special discount auction was offered in FY2014, accounting for the high parcel numbers in FY2012 and FY2014. |
Target #2: Facilitate and improve regulatory and lease compliance monitoring of AS.38.35 pipelines.
Compliance & Oversight Monitoring Actions of AS 38.35 Pipelines
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Target #3: Coordinate the review, permitting, and monitoring of natural and renewable resource development, transportation, and other specialized projects consistent with the missions of the department and participating state agencies.
OPMP Coordinated Projects
The number and types of projects coordinated by OPMP annually indicates relative demand for the program; it also provides OPMP insight into industry and market trends in Alaska. For example, the decrease in coordinated mining projects from FY2016 to FY2018 represents a slowdown in mineral exploration activities statewide, as well as OPMP's completion of coordinated reviews for two proposed mines in the Transboundary Region of British Columbia. OPMP anticipates a modest upward trend in the number of coordinated mining projects in the near-term (3-5 years) due to positive economic trends within the industry and growing interest in critical and strategic minerals sourced domestically. The number of coordinated oil and gas projects are expected to remain relatively flat in the near-term due to depressed oil prices globally and optimization efforts in Alaska's oil and gas industry. OPMP's principle challenge for providing permit coordination is maintaining sufficient organizational capacity (i.e. staffing, budget resources, etc.) to adjust to fluctuations in coordinated project workloads. Such fluctuations are often driven by factors outside OPMP's control (i.e. economic conditions, regulatory changes, commodity process, investment trends, etc.), but are an important metric used to gauge relative demand for large project coordination services. Related links:
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Target #4: Provide stable or increasing economic benefit from the use of trees and forests on state land by selling state timber to twenty or more Alaskan businesses.
Alaskan Firms Purchasing State Timber Sales
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Target #5: Increase awareness of Alaska Grown products and market options, and expand gross farm product sales.
Monetary Value of Agriculture Products Sold (in millions)
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Target #6: Operate the Forest Resources and Practices Act program to achieve 100% implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Forest Resources & Practices Act Program: Displayed as the Rating of Best Management Practices Implementation by Region per Year
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Target #7: Promote safer boating behaviors on Alaska's waters.
Adult Life Jacket Wear Rate Percentages Powerboats National vs. Alaska (2015-2019)
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2: Mitigate threat to the public from natural hazards by providing comprehensive fire protection services on state, private and municipal lands, and through identifying significant geologic hazards. |
Target #1: Publish reports or maps providing improved assessment of geologic hazards that could pose significant risks to public safety or infrastructure.
Published New Reports on Geologic Hazards that Pose Significant Risks to Public Safety
Key publications of the Engineering Geology Section include final updated tsunami inundation maps for Homer and Seldovia; regional tsunami assessments for False Pass, Perryville, Shemya, and selected communities of the Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Bristol Bay, Pribilof Islands, and Southeast Alaska; lidar surveys in the western Susitna basin and Chilkat Ridge near Haines; photogrammetry data for the Yukon River crossing, Valdez Glacier ice-dammed lake, Barter Island, and a series of focus areas in and near Anchorage that were affected by the 2018 Anchorage earthquake; and information circulars about a potential earthquake early warning system for Alaska and the science and hazards of naturally occurring holes in ice. Other published engineering-geologic studies on the geomorphology and geologic hazards of the Parks Highway-Minto Flats-Dalton Highway infrastructure corridor and potentially active faults in the area of the Yukon River bridge contributed to the understanding of geologic hazards in Alaska. Additionally, Engineering Geology Section staff were authors or co-authors of eleven scientific papers published in national and international journals, on topics ranging from glacier outburst floods and sea ice to landslides, permafrost, and coastal flooding and erosion. The Volcanology Section, working in conjunction with federal U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and University of Alaska Fairbanks partners, published ten reports including a post-eruption study of gases and thermal waters at Okmok volcano, version 2 of the Alaska Volcano Observatory geochemical database, geochemical data on rock samples from Little Sitkin volcano, and a report detailing the chronology and impacts of the 2016-2017 Bogoslof eruption. During FY2020, DGGS Volcanology section staff responded to volcanic unrest at Cleveland, Semisopochnoi, Shishaldin, Veniaminof, and Great Sitkin volcanoes. Extensive upgrades to volcano monitoring equipment were accomplished in the Cook Inlet, on the Alaska Peninsula, and on Unimak Island. Our field teams completed the transfer of operation of stations on Unimak and Akutan Islands from UNAVCO (a university research consortium) to AVO, as well as the transfer of four Alaska Transportable Array (TA) seismic sites to AVO operation. The upgrades in ground-based instrumentation includes seismometers, infrasound sensors, and web cameras, significantly improving the Alaska Volcano Observatory's ability to detect unrest, forecast eruptive activity, and issue timely alerts of volcano hazards. Related links:
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Target #2: Contain more than 90% of wildland fires at less than 10 acres within Alaska's heavily populated areas (Critical and Full Management Options) in accordance with the Alaska Interagency Wildland Fire Management Plan.
Percentage of Fires Successfully Contained at Less Than 10 Acres
A key goal of the division is to contain 90% of wildland fires at less than 10 acres within Critical and Full management option areas. In 2020, 98% of fires in the Critical management option and 89% of fires within the Full management option were contained at less than 10 acres. Several of these fires had potential to threaten structures and other urban values if they were not suppressed and kept small. One notable exception was the early-season Trumpeter Fire in the Kenai, which ignited in late April in a Critical suppression area and grew to 139 acres, before being contained. The Any Creek fire in Fairbanks area was ignited in a Full suppression area and was limited to 44 acres after having received extremely aggressive initial attack with aircraft and fire personnel. Any Creek had started in the area of Shovel Creek fire from 2019, which grew to over 22,000 acres, necessitating evacuations and eventually costing over $20 million dollars |
Target #3: Provide wildland fire training to agency personnel, fire departments, and urban and rural communities.
In 2020, DOF provided 64 training sessions and physical fitness tests to more than 945 personnel including EFF, volunteer fire department and State of Alaska personnel. This number is lower than average due to the pandemic, but reformatted training venues and increased use of virtual platformed enabled DOF to meet minimal numbers for a qualified workforce in 2020. The challenge for the division is to ensure that the training provided is meeting the needs of firefighters and managers on Alaska fires. This challenge is currently met with a training staff that plans, coordinates, and provides specific fire courses designed to develop Alaska's firefighters for the future. These courses are provided to the inter-agency fire community which provides leverage for the Division to provide extensive opportunities to its employees and cooperators. Related links:
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Target #4: Fill the firefighting needs for the average fire season with Alaskan firefighters.
Percent of Alaskan Crews & Individuals Assigned to Alaska Fires / Total Needed
Within DOF Fire Management Areas, there has been a consistent turnover of fire managers, Type 3 Incident Commanders, Division Supervisors as well as dispatch and aviation personnel. Recruitment and retention of a qualified firefighting force within the DOF has been challenging due to the short season of employment combined with more competitive wages and benefits in the private and Federal sectors. Despite the slower than average Alaska fire season, Alaska still needed to order 344 single resource overhead, 9 crews and 13 aircraft to be mobilized from the L-48 for assistance. The division's need for Lower-48 firefighting resources (agency crews, contract crews, and individuals with advanced training to meet initial and extended attack suppression objectives) should be replaced with increased in-state capacity to provide jobs to Alaskans. The division hired fifteen short term non-permanent positions (STNP) for thirty days each. These STNPs were divided among the DOF areas and helped to fill basic firefighting personnel needs such as engine and helicopter crewmembers and wildland fire dispatchers. 30 task books were issued for these positions, and by the end of the season 5 were certified as "full qualified". A five person STNP helitack module with was formed in McGrath, providing the area with additional capacity to provide helicopter supported initial attack in the area, while providing the STNPs with valuable fire experience. Related links:
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Target #5: Minimize lost work days for firefighters.
Firefighter Safety: Total Days Lost
Despite the challenges created by COVID-19, DOF continued to maintain a safe fire line operational record by emphasizing safety of firefighters and the public as the top priority. Some of 2020's decline in lost workdays (due to injury) is attributable to less employee hours worked with the slower than average Alaska season. Online safety training (SafetyHub) saved instructor travel expenses, and efficiently delivered training to DOF employees across the State when classroom training was not possible due to COVID-19. Mandatory training for all division personnel includes an annual Fireline Safety Refresher, CPR/1st Aid and defensive driving training, and complement of OSHA training related to general workplace safety. Initial certification and daily tailgate safety sessions include proper use of firefighting equipment such as chainsaws, engines, forklifts, dozers, and safety analysis of firefighting facilities to mitigate hazards. |
Target #6: Provide safe, cost effective wildland fire protection services to the State of Alaska.
Fire Starts and Acres Burned (thousands) - Statewide
The division's primary challenge of 2020 was in providing a qualified workforce with necessary procedures and equipment in place to safely respond to wildland fires in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues stemming from the pandemic began to arise just before the onboarding of the seasonal workforce and the wildland fire training season in early March. Travel restrictions necessitated the cancellation and rescheduling of firefighter training, which created difficulty in division personnel meeting mandatory training, as well as in the development needed higher qualifications. On-site readiness inspections had to be cancelled, and the interagency Spring Operations Meeting had to be postponed and was eventually conducted virtually. The dissemination of information and protocols for conducting standard business created a lag in 2020 fire season preparedness, but the assignment of a COVID-19 Incident Management Team within DOF was key in eventually getting protocols and information flow corrected. Another challenge was coordinating and developing standards within the framework of the interagency environment, which is key in the successful wildland fire management in Alaska. There were conflicting policies between Federal and State agencies, which created delays in being able to mobilize resources on several fires during the season. Related links:
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Target #7: Reduce the impact of wildfire smoke on the public by working to mitigate smoke concerns from fires near communities.
Air Quality Advisories Issued Due to Wildland Fire Smoke
The second potential opportunity to reduce health impacts from wildland smoke is to make fire management decisions on fires that can impact the amount of smoke produced. Examples of the range of actions that could be implemented include early season suppression on an ongoing fire to inhibit fire growth to the suppression of new starts within a defined geographic area in proximity to a community. In 2020, air quality due to wildfires was not a major issue for residents within Alaska. DEC issued three wildfire related air quality advisories between June 5th and June 15th for the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding communities in response to several early-season fires burning on the refuge. There was some concern from the public about smoke at several points throughout the summer, but this was determined to be drift smoke coming from fires in Siberia. Related links:
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3: Provide access to state lands for public and private use, settlement, and recreation. |
Target #1: Process a minimum of 90% of new land use applications received.
DMLW continues to steadily process new land use and resource applications. Staff time has, however, been diverted to work on complex cases that are resistant to solution, and politically sensitive cases which required significantly above average staff and manager time per case to bring to completion. Staff time has also been diverted to assistance on draft regulation and statute projects, and with policy and procedure development for implementation of new fee regulations which were adopted in July 2018, efficiencies in authorization of fiber optic cable projects, implementation of special purpose material sale statute adopted in 2012, special land use permits and performance guarantee guidance. Not included in the above numbers are trespass cases which do not start with an application, but require the adjudicatory work. The numbers are not reflective of entry authorizations that allow applicants to use and construct on state land before final issuance of easements and leases. Each new authorization issued creates a new workload of contract administration, assignments, amendments, name changes, sub-lease agreements, billing, monitoring, compliance and close out, all of which is not reflected in these numbers. The division expects there to be more applications in future years as the state strives to bring in additional entitlement acres with high development potential each year, and the division moves to improve tracking and resolution of previously unauthorized uses which could be legitimately permitted. The division's stewardship responsibilities that do not involve issuing an authorization are constant. The substantial amount of time staff spends on these issues takes them away from their duties to process authorizations. Despite necessary diversion of stewardship responsibilities, policy development, and the additional challenges (need for rapid adoption, training and widespread use of new collaboration/communication technologies to accommodate telework) in the face of Corona virus pandemic response, in FY2020, the number of land use authorizations issued by DMLW staff exceeded new applications received. In general, many types of businesses received authorizations that allowed use of state land for financial gain. Authorizations in this component benefit utility, oil and gas, mining, commercial recreation, tourism, fishing, construction, and other development industries by giving them legal access to the state owned and managed land, water and resources. If the division is not able to issue these authorizations in a timely manner, these same industries are adversely affected. Often businesses cannot plan their operations, get investment capital, insurance, or loans if they do not have required land authorizations. |
Target #2: Process a minimum of 90% of new water use applications received.
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Target #3: Receive lands essential to the state's economic development and for maximum public benefit, including lands rich in natural resources, selected for municipal entitlements, necessary for settlement, and to eliminate federal inholdings.
Acres of Statehood Entitlement Lands Received
In FY2020, RSS worked with BLM to remove Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Sec. 17(d)(1) and (d)(2) Public Land Order (PLO) withdrawals within the 40 Mile and Bering Glacier Regional Management Plan (RMP) areas. Removal of these PLOs in FY2020 opened approximately 1.1 million acres of land to state selection and mineral entry. The state requested title to 20,000 acres within this area. In FY2020, RSS began working with BLM to remove ANCSA Sec. 17(d)(1) withdrawals in the Seward Peninsula/Kobuk RMP; once removed approximately 1 million acres will be open for selection and mineral entry. In FY2021, RSS will continue to work closely with BLM on lifting additional ANCSA and non-ANCSA withdrawals in the Goodnews Bay and Ring of Fire RMPs, opening more lands to state selection, conveyance, and mineral entry. RSS will also request conveyance of high priority and value lands within the Chugach and Tongass National Forests, along the Denali Highway, and in support of infrastructure projects like the Ambler Road. |
Target #4: Provide accessible, clean, safe, and well-maintained park facilities for Alaska residents and visitors by reducing deferred maintenance needs in park units.
Parks Deferred Maintenance
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Target #5: Collect fees necessary to reach authorized program receipt funds in the Parks Management and Access budget; annually evaluate and if necessary, raise fees in order to reach program receipts authorization.
Revenue Collected on Park User Fees (In Thousands)
Any new investments in the division's infrastructure will be reviewed with the idea of sustainability and revenue producing potential in mind. Investments in public use cabins, electronic fee stations, and similar infrastructure have revenue producing potential and fill a demonstrated public demand. |
4: Ensure sufficient data acquisition and assessment of land and resources to foster responsible resource and community development and public safety. |
Target #1: Publish airborne geophysical survey data for Alaska's minerals-interest lands.
Square Miles of Published Minerals-Related Airborne Geophysical Data
In FY2020 and FY2021 1,000 square miles of helicopter magnetic and radiometric data were collected. Funding for these data was provided by the State of Alaska (40%) and mineral industry contributions (60%). These data will be published in FY2021. The federal Earth MRI critical minerals program was funded by the U.S. Congress in FFY2019, and it is anticipated to be a 10-year project to acquire airborne geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and lidar over areas of the nation with critical minerals potential. DGGS has been contracted by the USGS to manage the federal geophysical contracts covering large portions of Alaska's mineral districts. USGS Earth MRI funding from federal fiscal year 2019 will support the collection of 7,500 square miles of fixed-wing magnetic and radiometric data in FY2021. BLM resource-assessment and USGS Earth MRI funding from federal fiscal year 2020 will allow the state to collect and additional 8,500 square miles of fixed-wing magnetic and radiometric data during FY2021. Publication of these federally funded surveys are planned for early FY2022. Contractors for the federally funded Earth MRI 2019 and 2020 fixed-wing surveys were unable to travel to Alaska in summer 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions, so this work has been rescheduled for summer 2021. Initial surveying of about 7,500 square miles is planned for spring/summer 2021 in the Yukon-Tanana Uplands, and publication of survey data in early FY2022. Related links:
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Target #2: Publish reports on energy-related geology that assist the energy industry and state agencies in exploring for and managing energy resources on state-interest lands.
New Reports Published on Energy-Related Geology
During FY2020, the Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys published 4 reports providing new geologic data to assist oil and gas exploration throughout Alaska. The publication total is two less than the target, reflecting the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in many contract analyses being delayed by closures at vendor laboratories, hindering efforts to synthesize information in a timely manner. The summer 2020 field season was also canceled, resulting in a lack of new field data. Despite these challenges, two major digital products were published, both the result of large structure-from-motion surveys. This photogrammetric method produces very high-resolution digital surface models and ortho-imagery of important outcrops and serves as a base for mapping reservoir-scale sand bodies. One survey was of the Usibelli Group type section in Suntrana Creek, and represents a potential analogue for fluvial reservoir geometry in the nearby Nenana Basin subsurface. The other survey is from key exposures of the Nanushuk and Torok Formations at Slope Mountain on the North Slope. This data will be used to inform seismic and reservoir models, including at the newly discovered oil fields at Pikka and Willow. The other two publications are companion papers than report very high precision stratigraphic ages using U-Pb geochronology. The first paper was published in an influential peer-reviewed journal and focused on the novel techniques and protocols developed in collaboration with Boise State University. The second paper was published through DGGS and focuses on an application of these new methods to important potential reservoir units in Cook Inlet. During FY2020, Energy Section staff collaborated extensively with geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, most notably through planning and permitting efforts to drill multiple stratigraphic test-cores on the North Slope. This program was postponed due to COVID-19. Collaborations with the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) were funded by industry and involved new assessments of important Brookian reservoir intervals on the eastern North Slope. Related links:
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Current as of November 19, 2020