(a) The purpose of this section is to establish the area described in (f) of this section as the Petersville Recreational Mining Area. The Petersville Recreational Mining Area is established to provide for a public recreational mining area to permit public recreational activities and to allow other multiple-use activities to continue as long as the activities do not detract from the primary purpose for the establishment of the Petersville Recreational Mining Area.

(b) The commissioner is responsible for the management of the surface and subsurface estate within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall adopt and may revise a management plan and shall adopt regulations for the management, use, and development of the Petersville Recreational Mining Area. The management plan, including any revisions, and regulations adopted by the commissioner shall be developed in consultation with the commissioner of fish and game and the commissioner of transportation and public facilities. The management plan and regulations must address, but not be limited to,

(1) the methods of mining permitted within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area;

(2) the types of mining equipment that may be used within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area;

(3) the protection of habitat within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area; and

(4) other restrictions consistent with the purposes stated in this section.

(c) Except as provided in this subsection, the Petersville Recreational Mining Area is open to recreational mining under this section. The commissioner of fish and game is responsible for the management of the fish and game resources and the public use of fish and wildlife resources within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area consistent with the purposes stated in this section. The commissioner of fish and game shall issue a general permit to the public authorizing recreational mining activities subject to seasonal restrictions on the mining activities within specified waterbody areas necessary to maintain fishery resources within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area.

(d) The Petersville Recreational Mining Area is closed to mineral entry under AS 38.05.185 - 38.05.275.

(e) The commissioner shall permit the construction and realignment of the Petersville Road within the Petersville Recreational Mining Area as is determined necessary by the commissioner of transportation and public facilities.

(f) The vacant and unappropriated state-owned land and water and the state land and water acquired in the future that lie within the following described mining claims described in United States Mineral Survey No. 2384 are reserved from all uses incompatible with the purposes of this section and are assigned to the department for control and management as the Petersville Recreational Mining Area:

(1) Township 28 North, Range 8 West, Seward Meridian

Sections 6 - 8: Daisy No. 2; Hidden Treasure No. 1; Hidden Treasure No. 2; Flora No. 1; Flora No. 2; Moose No. 1; Beaver No. 1; Alexander No. 1; Alexander No. 2; Lost Shovel No. 1; Lost Shovel No. 2; Peters Creek No. 8; Peters Creek No. 9; Peters Creek No. 10; Peters Creek No. 11;

(2) Township 28 North, Range 9 West, Seward Meridian

Section 1: Daisy No. 2; Hidden Treasure No. 1.