NEWS: (4/15/08) HB74, which would prohibit mixing zones in spawning areas, failed to get a hearing in House Resources this year.
What You Can Do:
Now that the session is finished, no more action can be taken on HB74. However, you can still contact your Legislators and Governor Palin to urge them to protect clean water and healthy fisheries by banning mixing zones in salmon spawning areas. Let Governor Palin know that you support clean water and wild, healthy salmon and highlight the personal impacts it would have on you as an Alaskan resident, fisherman, or consumer.
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Background:
Protecting Alaska ’s salmon resources and clean water is a top priority for ACV. Alaska has a commercially valuable reputation for pristine waters and abundant fish stocks. Clean water and vibrant, healthy fish stocks are precious renewable resources that are cultural and economic mainstays across the state. Wild salmon are Alaska ’s first permanent fund. Alaska must maintain high water quality standards to protect our water resources and maintain sustainable, world-class fisheries for present and future generations. 
A mixing zone is an area in a water body where pollution levels exceed water quality standards designed to protect people and fish. When a discharge is unable to meet water quality standards upon its release, a group can apply for a permit to employ a mixing zone, which allows for water quality levels to be measured downstream after the discharge has been diluted. Since 1995, state regulations explicitly prohibited mixing zones in freshwater areas where fish spawn. However, on January 12, 2006, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation adopted new regulations that no longer offered full, year-round protection for wild salmon and other fish.
While mixing zones have generally been authorized in Alaska, state regulations explicitly prohibited mixing zones in freshwater areas where fish spawn. The new regulations give DEC broad discretion to determine when and where mixing zones can occur in salmon spawning areas and provide even more leeway in allowing pollution discharges for other resident fish species.
With the state of Alaska’s reputation for pristine waters and abundant fish stocks, not to mention the vital importance of salmon and other fish species to communities and individuals in Alaska, HB74 will keep the former prohibition on mixing zones in place and maintain water quality standards in the interest of protecting our fisheries and the health of Alaskans.
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