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The Tripod Iditarod National Historic Trail Alliance June 2014 Spring Board Meeting The Alliance Board of Directors held its spring meeting in Anchorage on May 28 and 29 at the Bureau of Land Management District Office conference room. The board heard reports from Alliance officers, local Trail Blazers organizations and state and official agencies. Paul Clark, (left) Iditarod National Historic Trail Project Manager, Chugach National Forest, reported that the Chugach National Forest has scheduled several Iditarod projects in 2014, including the installation of visitor information kiosks at nine trailheads, the completion of the Southern Trek Sign Plan and draft Interpretive Plan and design and contract preparation for six new trail bridges.
Lesli Schick, of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Easement Group, reported that only 210 miles of the Iditarod National Historic Trail still lacks easements, 36 miles of which are on state land. Mark Nordman (right), from the Iditarod Trail Committee, reported on trail clearing completed: 23.3 miles from Finger Lake to Puntilla and 31 miles from Puntilla to Tatina. This October more trail work will be done in the Dalzell region. This trail work is financially aided by the Alliance. Brian Burnett reported on trail work in the Girdwood area and expressed interest in organizing a trail blazer group there. There was a report on the Alaska State Trails Recreation Trails Grant Program by Darcy Harris, the program coordinator. Funds for the program are generated by the federal fuel tax. Approximately $1.4 million is available for state government and non-state government applicants.
Applicants can apply for up to $50,000 per grant cycle. There is a 20% match requirement, which can be cash, volunteer labor or donation of equipment. For full information about the program go to: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/grants/ trails.htm The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes public awareness of the Iditarod Trail and its gold rush and Alaska Native heritage by encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the trail, developing partnerships that foster stewardship commitments and support from land owners, local communities, organizations and others.
The trail for all seasons Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance PO Box 2323, Seward AK 99664 IditarodHTA@gmail.com http://www.Iditarod100.org Donlin Gold LLC has filed an application with the Department of Natural Resources for a 315 mile pipeline to transport natural gas from the Beluga Natural Gas Pipeline system to the proposed Donlin Gold mine. The 14 inch pipeline would originate 7.7 miles north of the Beluga Power Plant and terminate at the mine, The Tripod approximately 10 miles north of Crooked Creek Village. The application can be seen at http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis /pco. The mine will be on land owned by the Kuskokwim Corp. and Calista Corp. Kevin Keeler, BLM Iditarod National Trail Administrator gave a report on how the pipeline would affect the Historic Trail.
Approximately 60 miles of the pipeline, associated construction features, access roads and airstrips would be co-located on, intersect with or parallel the Iditarod Trail from Old Skwenta to Puntilla Lake. The BLM is working to mitigate the effects on the Trail as much as possible. Plans for this year’s Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom Program and the State Fair were made. state archives in Juneau. The transfer includes court records from territorial days and documents concerning the history of the Alaska Railroad. The balance of the federal and territorial records stored in Anchorage by the National Archives would be moved to Seattle this summer as part of the plan to close the Anchorage facility. Alaska’s congressional delegation objected to the closing of the Anchorage building and asked that the documents remain in Alaska.
Senator Murkowski said in a press release that she continues to support the idea of retaining additional records in the state. The archives are accepting comments from Alaskan on what priority should be given to documents for digitizing. From the past… “Iditarod Pioneer” June 27, 1914 Pick. Click .Give. The Alliance is now an official organization in the Pick. Click. Give Program. Alaskans filing on-line for their Permanent Fund Dividend, starting in 2015, can give all or part of the dividend to the Alliance. All Alaskans who share a part of their PFD through the Pick. Click. Give Program are entered in a drawing to win an extra PFD. Ten names will be picked for the extra PFD National Archives move About a quarter of the records stored in the National Archives office in Anchorage are being transferred to the “The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy.
The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with purpose.” Charles Dickens