Alaska Conservation Voters

Conservation Watch

Alaska Conservation Voters works to protect Alaska 's environment through public education and advocacy, and supports pro-conservation candidates for public office.

"99.9% of Alaskans aren't pigs in the first place."
---Sen. Ralph Seekins, insisting that would-be Dalton Highway ATVers would joyride responsibly. Seekins presented SB 85 at the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

• Murkowski Land Bill Grounded
• Seekins Bill Joyrides Over Local Livelihoods
• Pesticide Public Notice Bill Emerges

In Every Issue

• Bills on the Move
• New Legislation
• Hearing Schedule

Murkowski Land Bill Grounded

Just a week after introduction, Governor Murkowski’s land bill ran aground in the House Resources Committee on Tuesday (2/15). Citing strong public opposition, Resources Co-chair Jay Ramras withdrew HB 130 from committee consideration, stating, “We have agreed to go back and take a closer look at the overall plan before reopening public testimony.” Ramras sent HB 130 back to the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) and the University to “work out the particulars for a compromise.”

What the closed review will entail remains unclear. The land package proposed under HB 130 is the product of private negotiations between the University and DNR which began in 2000. In the recent Resources Committee hearings, DNR and the University were reluctant to consider changes to the parcel selections. At a press conference Thursday, Murkowski scoffed at a reporter’s question about the lack of community input into the land selection process. “I think we've looked at it long enough and it's time to run with it,” Murkowski grumbled.

Its unlikely members of the Resources Committee will as easily discount the legitimate concerns cited during the three days of public testimony thus far. Deletions of specific parcels and amendments dealing with public process, access, borough formation, and community planning will likely get serious discussion, regardless of Murkowski’s hard line.

A revised HB 130 is expected before the House Resources Committee in early March.

Rep. Ramras’ Statement on HB 130 Delay
DNR webpage for University Lands (maps, descriptions)

Seekins Bill Joyrides Over Local Livelihoods

In defiance of overwhelming opposition from northern Alaska residents, the Senate Transportation Committee moved SB 85 on to the Resources Committee Thursday. The bill by Fairbanks Senator Ralph Seekins would repeal long-standing restrictions on off-road vehicle use in the Dalton Highway corridor, and consequences would be dire for area residents.

If SB 85 continues plowing its way through the Legislature, one of the last great wilderness areas in North America could become just another "quagmire of mud, blood, and oil," or so testified Barney Hicker, who has spent the last 21 years in Wiseman.

SB 85 would repeal the entire statute concerning off-road vehicles in the Corridor (AS 19.40.210). As the bill's opponents have so duly noted, if Seekins and his hunting buddies really wanted to have ATV access to specific areas, there's no reason why they couldn't just work within the existing statute and seek to amend it, rather than throw it away. Repealing the statute in its entirety would result in high expense for many state agencies as they scramble to develop regulations to protect wildlife, private property, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and delicate tundra.

Despite testimony that the bill in its current form violates long-standing promises with area residents and threatens their traditional way of life, Sens. Cowdery, Huggins, and Therriault didn't seem concerned. Isla Myers-Smith, a Fairbanks biologist, testified that SB 85 would burden already strained law enforcement, who failed to respond to the vandalism of her car near Atigun Pass last summer. A lone trooper is seasonally stationed in Coldfoot, to patrol an area larger in size than many of the Lower 48 states.

Moreover, the Transporation Committee failed to define what exactly an off-road vehicle is, opening the door for yahoos to joyride humvees over the tussocks if SB 85 passes. Sen. Hollis French (D-Anchorage) objected to moving the bill for this very reason.

If the Transportation Committee won't specify what an off-road vehicle is, who will?

Pesticide Public Notice Bill Emerges

The House Resources Committee has scheduled a public hearing on Wednesday, (February 23) for a pesticide public notice bill, HB 19.

Though the bill text may change before the committee hearing, it most likely would institute a fee to register pesticides, require licensing for application in public places, and require written notification for such applications.

HB 19's notice provisions would apply to most indoor and outdoor “areas where the public may frequent,” while exempting hotels and restaurants. HB 19's sponsor, Rep. Kevin Meyer (R-Anchorage) has been working diligently to mitigate opposition to the bill- thus the hotel and restaurant exemptions.

Given the popularity of public notice regulations adopted by the Municipality of Anchorage, a robust HB 19 may emerge from House Resources.

Bills on the Move

---HB 107, which allows plaintiffs in hunting/fishing/trapping interference cases to collect 100% of their full and actual attorney fees, passed the House Resources Committee on Wednesday. Opponents of the bill have described it as unfair, because wrongfully accused defendants are not able to recover such costs when they prevail. Concerns have also been raised about the bill's effects on commercial fishing operations. Reps. Olson, Elkins, and Ramras voted "yes", with Rep. Seaton the sole "no" vote. All other committee members reserved recommendation.

---Two of Sen Dyson's (R-Eagle River) proposed constitutional amendments have passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and moved on to Finance. SJR 1 limits growth in state spending, and SJR 4 decreases the amount of votes needed to tap the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR), weakening the power of legislative minorities.

New Legislation

HB 146 Extend ACMP Deadline - Rep. Kerttula (D-Juneau)
This bill would extend the deadline for communities to comply with the revised coastal zone management program (ACMP) by tying it to federal approval of the state's new plan. Communities would have 18 months to submit revised plans after the state plan is approved.

SB 102 Extend ACMP Deadline 1 year - Sen. Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak)
Similar to HB 146, this bill extends the deadline for communities to comply with new coastal zone planning requirements. The deadline would be extended one year only.

HB 153/SB 110 NPDES Primacy - Gov. Murkowski
This bill asserts state primacy over the federal Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Passage of this bill would weaken water quality protections and cost $1.5 million.

SB 97/SB 98/HB 134/HB 135 Supplemental - Gov. Murkowski
Governor Murkowski is asking for more money at the last minute, $500,000 of which would be funneled to Arctic Power, the group that has burned through millions and millions of state dollars, lobbying Congress to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. These bills are scheduled for Wednesday in House Finance and Thursday in Senate Finance.

HB 142/SB 103 Underground Injection Wells - Gov. Murkowski
Orders the state to control primary regulation of injection into oil and gas wells.

HJR 9/SJR 9 Exxon Resolution - Rep. LeDoux (R-Kodiak)/Sen. Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak)
These resolutions urge Congress to honor the Exxon Valdez ruling, and not to pass legislation which would conflict with the ruling.

SJR 7 Elect Attorney General - Sen. Dyson (R-Eagle River)
In response to further fallout from the Gregg Renkes scandal, Sen. Fred Dyson introduced this constitutional amendment to require election of the Attorney General. Alaska is one of a handful of states which allow the Governor to appoint the AG.

HB 162 Childcare for State Employees - Rep. Kerttula (D-Juneau)
This bill paves the way for the state to provide on-site childcare to its employees, with fees to be determined on a sliding scale based on household income.

HB 164 Fire Island Wind Farm - Rep. Crawford (D-Anchorage)
$20 million appropriation for a wind farm and transmission lines on Fire Island near Anchorage.

Hearings this Week

Check the BASIS hearing schedule for the most current information. Once a bill has been heard in a particular committee it may be brought up again without public notice or listing on the weekly committee schedule.