Alaska: Obama Administration Moves to Protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Obama, Jewell Declaring War on Alaska’s Future Say Officials By MARY KAUFFMAN - Sunday, President Obama announced his plans to ask Congress to designate the Coastal Plain and other core areas of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness. If Congress chooses to act, it would be the largest ever wilderness designation since Congress passed the visionary Wilderness Act over 50 years ago.

Alaska, ANWR, Canning River
Photo courtesy US Fish & Wildlife Service

“Designating vast areas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness reflects the significance this landscape holds for America and its wildlife,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “Just like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of our nation’s crown jewels and we have an obligation to preserve this spectacular place for generations to come.”

The Interior Department plans to immediately begin managing the 1.5 million acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness – adding to the 18 million acres of ANWR already designated wilderness.

Secretary Jewell also said that President Obama plans to indefinitely withdraw areas in the offshore Arctic from oil and gas leasing in the new five-year plan being released later this week, which will effectively ban development in large swaths of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. It is unclear how these new restrictions will affect areas already under lease.

Sunday, the Alaska’s Congressional Delegation and Gov. Bill Walker denounced President Obama and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell for launching an unprecedented assault on Alaska that will have long-lasting effects on the state’s economy and the nation’s energy security.

Alaska Gov. Walker I) was outraged by the Obama administration’s actions at a time when the state is drawing down more than $10 million from savings every day due to low oil prices and declining production despite having more than 40 billion barrels of untapped resources, mostly in federal areas where oil and gas activity is blocked or restricted.

“Having just given to Alaskans the State of the State and State of the Budget addresses, it’s clear that our fiscal challenges in both the short and long term would benefit significantly from increased oil production,” Gov. Walker said. “This action by the federal government is a major setback toward reaching that goal. Therefore, I will consider accelerating the options available to us to increase oil exploration and production on state-owned lands. This further underscores the need for Alaska to become a participant in the infrastructure development for the benefit of all North Slope participants and the residents of Alaska.”

“What’s coming is a stunning attack on our sovereignty and our ability to develop a strong economy that allows us, our children and our grandchildren to thrive,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said. “It’s clear this administration does not care about us, and sees us as nothing but a territory. The promises made to us at statehood, and since then, mean absolutely nothing to them. I cannot understand why this administration is willing to negotiate with Iran, but not Alaska. But we will not be run over like this. We will fight back with every resource at our disposal.”

“This outrageous action confirms what most Alaskans have feared – that the Obama administration’s war against Alaska families and the middle class would only intensify under the final two years of President Obama’s tenure. But Alaskans have been in tough battles before. We will defeat their lawless attempt to designate ANWR as a wilderness, as well as their ultimate goal of making Alaska one big national park. This decision disregards the rule of law and our constitution and specifically ignores many promises made to Alaska in ANICLA. It is just one more example of President Obama thumbing his nose at the citizens of a sovereign state – and will put Alaska and America’s energy security in serious jeopardy,” U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said. “I stand united with Sen. Murkowski, Congressman Young, Governor Walker and the members of the Alaska State Legislature to vigilantly safeguard and defend our fellow Alaskans’ interests, and I pledge to do everything in my power to fight back against this assault on Alaska’s economic future.” - More...
Monday PM - January 26, 2015

Fish Factor: “Fish first” policy tops Fisheries Transition Team's list By LAINE WELCH - The need for a clear “fish first” policy in Alaska tops the list of priorities compiled by the Fisheries Transition Team for Governor Walker. The group also stated that “fish and fishermen in Alaska are viewed as barriers to development,” and that there is “irreplaceable optimism” that fish can coexist with development at any scale.

Fisheries was just one of the topics that 250 Alaskans brainstormed about in 17 teams that newly elected Walker convened in late November. Their task was to identify the top five priorities in diverse categories, as well as the barriers to success and ways to overcome them. Their reports were released to the public last week.

The 25 member Fisheries Team, which included commercial, sport, subsistence and science stakeholders, strongly recommended re-enacting the Coastal Zone Management Program in its “fish first” priority list. They also said that no significant loss of fish habitat should knowingly be permitted in the state.

Roadblocks to success are cited as lack of scientific data due to lack of money, and “subversion of science to politics.” They called it a “myth” that fish, nature or habitat can be recreated, or that wild runs can be replaced with hatchery fish. The transition report also said that “the economic value of fisheries is undervalued and not understood, and the monetary dollar value of clean water and habitat is not understood.”

Number two on the transition list is to “prioritize and improve fishery access for Alaskans.” That includes creating state funds or Fishery Trusts to recapture fishing licenses, permits or IFQs (with a subset for young entries), and allowing “community entities” to do the same. The report also recommends making it easier for small scale processors and marketers to operate, and eating more locally caught seafood.

Adequate funding for ADF&G and fisheries science is ranked as the #3 priority.

Number four is that fisheries should be managed based on science over politics, with several suggestions for Board of Fish reforms.

Finally, the team prioritized locally based, adaptive fisheries management. They recommend that area managers be based year round in the regions they manage, and that lawmakers and administrators get out and listen to Alaskans in far flung places. - More...
Monday PM - January 27, 2015