Olson v. State, Department of Natural Resources

OPINION

MOORE, Justice.

This appeal from a decision of the Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”) denying Nansen and Dana Olson’s requests for preference rights is the second time we have been faced with questions arising from the proposed Chase III homestead land disposal. In Alaska Survival v. State, 723 P.2d 1281 (Alaska 1986), we invalidated the disposal on procedural grounds. Now, the Olsons, successful participants in the Chase III lottery, argue that their losses in the demise of Chase III entitle them to preference rights to purchase their Chase III parcels. Because DNR did not abuse…