Sec. 41.21.185. - Purpose of AS 41.21.185 - 41.21.189. - Alaska Statutes

(a) The purpose of AS 41.21.185 - 41.21.189 is to establish, subject to valid existing rights including those rights created by the Afognak Island Road Use Agreement executed on July 24, 1991, and as amended from time to time, the state-owned or acquired land and water described in AS 41.21.186 as the Afognak Island State Park. The primary purposes of establishing the Afognak Island State Park are to protect the area's recreational and scenic resources; to protect the area's fish and wildlife habitat; to preserve and enhance the continued use of the area for sport and subsistence hunting and fishing, personal use fishing, trapping, recreational activities, and commercial fishing; and to restore and enhance resources and services injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

(b) Under the provisions of AS 38.05.300 , state land, water, or land and water containing more than 640 acres may be closed to multiple purpose use only by act of the legislature. Because the area described in AS 41.21.186 exceeds 640 acres, AS 41.21.185 - 41.21.189 are intended to close the described land and water to multiple purpose use in conformity with AS 38.05.300 and to dedicate them as a special purpose site in accordance with art. VIII, sec. 7, Constitution of the State of Alaska.

(c) The legislature recognizes the rights of the owners of the private land that adjoins the Afognak Island State Park established in AS 41.21.185 - 41.21.189. The status of the land as a park will not impair the uses to which private land that adjoins the park may be put in the future.