Division of Environmental Health Food Safety and Sanitation Program

Small Camps

Small Camp Authorization Application

Small camps must apply to the Department of Environmental Conservation for authorization. A camp may not begin operating until authorization is approved.

Please also note that authorizations are not transferrable. If the camp is new, in a new location, has had a change of owner, or has had other updates that affect the authorization, a new application must be submitted for approval.

All small camp authorizations expire on December 31 and must be renewed. Authorization renewal notices are mailed to the address on file. To renew an authorization for the next year, the next year's annual fee must be submitted to the Department of Environmental Conservation. A new application is not required as part of the renewal process if there are no changes from the previous application.

Application Instructions

1. Click the button above to access the application
2. Complete all required fields accurately and thoroughly; review and submit the application
3. Complete any other steps required for the camp (e.g., submit wastewater plans, apply for a solid waste permit)
4. The application will be reviewed by the Department of Environmental Conservation
5. Staff from the Department of Environmental Conservation will follow up regarding approval and payment
6. The Small Camp Authorization will be issued

Fees

• The annual fee is $250
• A $30 wastewater fee is added for camps that are not used for oil and gas activities within the boundaries of the North Slope Borough

Human Waste (Urine and Excrement)

• Human waste must be disposed of in a pit privy, incinerating toilet, or composting toilet
• If any other type of human waste treatment and disposal system is used, such as a flush toilet with a septic system or holding tank, do not continue with the small camp application, this operation may need plan approval

Pit Privies

• Operator reviewed and applied the Pit Privy Design and Operation guide
• Located at least 100 feet, measured horizontally, from the main high water level of any surface water
• Located at least 150 feet, measured horizontally, from a drinking water source serving a facility that is approvable as part of the small camp
• Located with the lowest point of the pit privy at least four feet above the high water table
• Located so that surface drainage does not collect in the pit
• To extend the life of the pit privy, identify a site with well-drained soils
• Used only to dispose of human wastes, particles removed from a graywater treatment system (described below), and ash from burnable solid wastes
• If used to dispose of ash, the expected ash volume is considered when sizing the pit privy
• All other wastes, including graywater, garbage, oil, hazardous substances, toxic waste, or non-burnable solid wastes, may not be disposed of in the pit privy
• Constructed, operated and maintained to prevent nuisance and hazards, to control odor, and to prevent access by vermin and other animals
• Secured during seasonal closures to keep out precipitation, vermin, and other animals
• Permanently closed when it is filled to within 24 inches of the ground surface:
  • Remove the above-ground structure; and
  • Cover the pit with a minimum of two feet of compacted soil, mounded slightly to allow for settlement and to prevent water from collecting in or around the pit
• Permanently closed when the camp is no longer operating or being decommissioned*:
  • Remove the above-ground structure; and
  • Cover the pit with a minimum of two feet of compacted soil, mounded slightly to allow for settlement and to prevent water from collecting in or around the pit
• *If the the private landowner or public land manager approves leaving the pit privy in place, the pit privy is secured to keep out precipitation, vermin, and other animals.

Commercially Manufactured Composting or Incinerating Toilets

• Installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and recommendations
• Toilet compost or ash is buried
  • At least two feet below the surface;
  • At least 100 feet, measured horizontally, from any surface water; and
  • At least 150 feet, measured horizontally, from a drinking water source serving a facility that is approvable as part of the small camp
• Used only to dispose of human waste
• Not used for the disposal of any other wastes, including graywater, garbage, oil, hazardous substances, toxic waste, ash from burned solid waste, or non-burnable solid wastes

Graywater Treatment and Disposal Systems

Non-Remote Small Camps

If a camp is not in a remote location, the methods described below do not apply for graywater treatment and disposal. Wastewater engineering plans must be submitted for review and approval. Visit the Engineered Wastewater Disposal Systems webpage for more information.

Remote Small Camps

Graywater must be disposed of using a graywater treatment and disposal system. There are two methods that can be used at remote camps, depending on the daily volume and the duration of the graywater discharge.

Method 1: Ground Surface Graywater Discharge

This method may be used if the camp’s daily graywater volume is no more than 500 gallons per day (gpd) and discharge occurs for no more than 90 days in a calendar year; all requirements listed below must be met

Method 2: Subsurface Graywater Treatment and Disposal

This method must be used if the camp's daily graywater volume is greater than 500 gallons per day (gpd) and/or discharge occurs for more than 90 days in a calendar year

Solid Waste and Other Waste Management Practices

All solid waste, other than ashes disposed in the pit privy or with toilet system waste, must be either:

1. Backhauled to a permitted solid waste disposal facility or a transfer station; or
2. Disposed of using an onsite landfill that is permitted by the Solid Waste program under the Remote Camps and Lodges general permit.
   • Visit the Solid Waste program's Permit Applications and Forms page for more information

Additionally, the following requirements must be met:

• Paper, cardboard, food scraps, and other burnable material, if burned on site, are burned only in a fire pit, burn barrel, or burn box
• Waste is burned only when tended by someone
• Waste is stored or managed in a way that prevents animal attraction and blowing litter
• Ashes from burning can be disposed in a pit privy or buried with the ash or compost from the toilet system
  • If the pit privy is used, it must be sized to accept ash
  • Review the Pit Privy Design and Operation guide for more information

Drinking Water

The camp's water used for food preparation and handwashing must be potable. The potable water system must be designed and operated following the Potable Water Collection and Treatment Best Practices. Camps that operate longer than 60 days must complete and submit the Public Water System Classification form to the Drinking Water program.

For more information about private water systems, visit Private Drinking Water Wells and Systems.

Food Service

Camp food service must be designed, provisioned, and operated according to best management practices for food service in small camps.

Approved Food Sources

The food service operator must ensure that the food provided at the camp is wholesome, not adulterated, and safe for human consumption.

The information below is a summary of requirements for food conditions and sources in Alaska. The full requirements are avilable in the Alaska Food Code 18 AAC 31.200.

Prohibited Foods

These foods may not be served as part of food service due to significant health hazards and potential for human illness.

The list below is a summary of requirements; the full requirements are avilable in the Alaska Food Code 18 AAC 31.210.

• Homemade food
• Meat from bear, fox, polar bear, and walrus
• Seal oil and whale oil, with or without meat
• Fermented game meat, such as beaver tail, whale or seal flipper, and muktuk
• Fermented seafood products, such as salmon eggs or fish

Other Requirements

Camp food service must also meet the following requirements.

Training

• Food service is overseen by an individual who has a current certified food protection manager (CFPM) certificate; this individual is not required to be on-site
• Food workers on-site at the camp have received training in food safety practices and have a current Alaska Food Worker Card

Food Service, Equipment, and Supplies

• Food is from an approved source and meets the condition and source requirements of 18 AAC 31.200
• Food is not made or obtained from prohibited sources as described in 18 AAC 31.210
• Food is served immediately after preparation
• Equipment supports the type of food and method of transportation, preparation, display, and service
• Fixtures or other approved means are provided for
  • Handwashing;
  • Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils; and
  • Cleaning the establishment
• Potable water is used for food service (drinking, hand washing, and cooking)

Additional Food Safety Resources

• Living with Bears
• Potable Water Collection and Treatment Best Practices

Definitions

The definitions below apply only to the small camp authorization process.

Term	Definition
Caches	Structures left during the winter and used to store items for the operation of a seasonal permanent camp
Domestic wastewater	Human wastes (excrement and urine) and graywater
Federal facility	For purposes of food safety, a national park or military reservation where food service is overseen by the federal government; National forests are not considered federal facilities under these regulations and guidelines
Graywater	Wastewater from a sink, shower, bath, laundry, kitchen or other domestic source; Does not include human wastes
Human waste	Human excrement and urine
Inert waste	Solid waste that has a low potential to pollute air or water and does not normally attract wildlife; Inert waste includes scrap metal, incinerated toilet ash, burned waste ash, and non-hazardous construction and demolition waste
Potable water	Water suitable for human consumption (e.g., drinking, washing, cooking, bathing) Water that is free from disease-producing organisms, poisonous substances, and chemical, biological, and radioactive contaminants that would make it unfit for human consumption and other uses Traditionally known as drinking water
Public land manager	A local, state or federal agency who approves use of public land for a camp, including Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Camp	An establishment providing shelter and support for persons engaged in Commercial recreation (guided hunting, rafting, wilderness fishing, etc.); or Industrial activities (mining exploration, labor, construction, etc.) A camp that is occupied on a temporary basis and is not a place of "residence" A seasonal camp that Has a structure (such as a hunting and trapping cabin or storage shed) that is used for temporary storage, food preparation, or emergency shelter; and Operates for a season of each year in the same location Does not include lodges or commercial enterprises with the intent of selling bed space or meals, child or adult day camps, floating camps, or barges
Remote	An area with no year-round access to a major road system (a system of connected roads with a total length of 100 miles or more) and at least 25 road miles to the nearest community or paved highway

Regulatory References

• 18 AAC 31 Alaska Food Code
• 18 AAC 80 Drinking Water
• 18 AAC 60 Solid Waste Management
• 18 AAC 72 Wastewater Treatment and Disposal

Resources and Contacts