Map from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources

The state’s Department of Natural Resources has issued another preliminary decision on transferring state land to the Petersburg borough.

This latest decision identifies 616 acres near the Patterson River in Thomas Bay on the mainland for transfer. The state would hold onto 85 acres in the requested area.

Petersburg is entitled to a total of over 14-thousand acres of state land with the formation of the borough in 2013 and legislation in 2017 that boosted that entitlement. It’s most of the undesignated state land within the borough boundaries.

The state is going through the process of identifying which lands it will approve for transfer and which will remain in state ownership.

Another decision issued in February identified 1,452 acres that would also change hands. More preliminary decisions are expected to address additional acreage.

There’s a public comment period on this preliminary decision through Monday, May 3 at 4:30 p.m.