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Alaska: Murkowski: Forest Service Must Address  Long-Standing Management Failures  - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) chaired an oversight hearing last week to examine the president’s budget request for the U.S. Forest Service for Fiscal Year 2019. Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen testified on behalf of the Forest Service. 

Murkowski opened the hearing by noting the Forest Service will receive greater flexibility in funding as a result of the recent omnibus, which included a multi-year budgeting fix for wildfire suppression costs. Murkowski, while urging meaningful forest management reforms to help prevent wildfires in the first place, called on the Forest Service to use that funding certainty to finally put an end to fire borrowing and return to its multiple-use mission. 

“The agency has been given more funding, new tools, and expanded authorities. We’ll be looking to build on those. But in the meantime, get going to correct the management failures that have plagued the agency for years,” Murkowski said. “End fire borrowing and revamp your budget process. Ensure that our forests are productive again. Move at the pace and scale needed on our overstocked forests to reduce the risk for catastrophic fires. Streamline permitting so that we can produce minerals that are critical to our national security. And provide access to rural communities, so they can build and sustain thriving economies.”

Murkowski also pointed to the cultural challenges facing the Forest Service, and told Christiansen that resolving them must be one of her highest priorities. 

“You’ll also have one other major job - internal reforms to put an end to the sexual harassment and assault that have plagued the Forest Service,” Murkowski said. “I have been horrified to learn about what has been happening, over the course of years and decades. It is categorically unacceptable. Improving the culture and guaranteeing a safe workplace must be one of your highest priorities.” 

In both her opening statement and questions, Murkowski spoke to the ongoing management failures in our two largest national forests – the Tongass and the Chugach, both in Alaska – where access is significantly restricted, harming local economies. 

“As I have said many times before, the Roadless Rule has never made sense in the Tongass, a forest made up of 32 island communities. In my mind, more access starts with restoring the Roadless exemption in the Tongass, and you have a state petition that asks you to do just that,” Murkowski said. “We hear a lot of talk about keeping public lands accessible to the public, but in Alaska, that’s often very different from the public’s experience.”

As part of her first round of questions, Murkowski asked Christiansen what the Forest Service is doing to respond to the State of Alaska’s petition for an exemption from the Roadless Rule. 

“We are working very closely with the State of Alaska to look at all of the options to address the Roadless issues. A response is being submitted in the matter of a day from Secretary Perdue back to the State of Alaska,” Christiansen said. “We want to look for success in how we can assure southeast Alaska citizens have the needs met as you identified, and we will support the state in numerous ways on those various options.”

Murkowski also pressed Christiansen on the agency’s plans to address errors in the 2016 Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) Amendment. The agency failed to conduct a stand-level inventory needed to determine the appropriate timeframe for a transition to young-growth timber harvesting. Compounding that are errors in the plan amendment—including its treatment of moderate vulnerability karst—that have led to even greater restrictions on the number of acres where timber can be harvested. - More...
Monday PM - April 30, 2018

Alaska: Coast Guard Announces New Fast Response Cutters to be Homeported in Alaska - The U.S. Coast Guard announced last week the future homeporting of six total Fast Response Cutters (FRC) for Alaska – in Kodiak (2), Seward (1), Sitka (1), 2 will remain homeported in Ketchikan, and two additional patrol boats in Petersburg and Juneau.

The decision comes following consistent pressure by the Alaska Congressional delegation to ensure new Alaska Coast Guard assets be “homeported where they can be most responsive to the needs of Alaskans and the nation.” According to the U.S. Coast Guard, recapitalizing will begin in 2023 and no assets will be decommissioned prior to the arrival of new assets. will homeport six Fast Response Cutters (FRC) in Alaskan communities, which will enhance the Coast Guard’s coastal capability to perform search and rescue operations, protect our fisheries, and improve resiliency to disasters throughout Alaskan waters. 

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) received letters dated April 25th from the Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Zukunft making the announcement.

These new larger cutters are a significant upgrade from Alaska's current fleet of 110 ft. patrol boats.  They bring the newest and most advanced systems, and a new, larger platform with more endurance to our coastal waters.  In addition, the Coast Guard will homeport a Coastal Patrol Boat in Petersburg and one in Juneau.

“The importance of the Coast Guard to Alaska and our entire nation cannot be understated. From rescue missions to protecting our vital fisheries, to monitoring our vast waters, these men and women work daily to ensure the safety and security of Alaskan waters. It is critical for us to provide these important upgrades to our aging current fleet, allowing the Coast Guard to better serve Alaska and protect our arctic borders,” Senator Murkowski said. “It is imperative that we have the most capable assets available and that we have them strategically located. Where we place our assets in order for them to be responsive is crucial not only from a national security perspective, but for fisheries enforcement and search and rescue missions as well.”

“Thank you for your consistent support of the Coast Guard and recognition of the services we provide in Alaska,” Admiral Zukunft, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard wrote. “I ask for your continued support as we work with the Administration and Congress to request funding, and for the support of city officials as we mutually prepare for the arrival of the patrol boats. The Coast Guard values its relationship with each Alaskans community and I appreciate your support as we continue to serve the citizens and maritime community of Alaska.”

In the FY18 government budget, the U.S. Coast Guard received $340 million to fund six FRCs, which are in various phases of the construction process, to replace the aging 110 ft. patrol boats. As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murkowski strongly advocated for Fast Response Cutter funding and that they be spread throughout as many communities as possible. The vessels are larger than the 110 ft. patrol boats they will be replacing, meaning they also require larger and stronger docks with adequate amenities, maintenance support units and will be manned by bigger crews.  Investment will be needed for the shore-side infrastructure to support the vessels, crews and their families.  Also included in the FY18 government budget, $51.5 million to fund Coast Guard housing and shore-side infrastructure projects that will support current and future Coast Guard assets in Alaska, such as these FRCs.

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) also welcomed the U.S. Coast Guard’s announcement on the future homeporting of six total Fast Response Cutters (FRC) slated for Alaska.

“The Coast Guard is undergoing a major recapitalization of its fleet and I’ve consistently worked to ensure this means more Coast Guard ships, aircraft, and personnel for communities across our state. As the Coast Guard Subcommittee Chairman, I continue to work to ensure we have the broadest possible search and rescue coverage, response capability, and maritime domain awareness throughout Alaskan waters,” said Senator Sullivan. 

Sullivan said, “The effort to stop a potential drawdown of Alaska-based Coast Guard assets led to numerous and sometimes tense discussions. In the end, persistence and tireless advocacy – tied to a well-timed confirmation hearing of the next U.S. Coast Guard Commandant – led to this announcement. I’m pleased to see the Coast Guard has heard our message loud and clear and followed a 2-1-1-2 homeporting model for the FRCs and will deploy two additional Patrol Boats into Alaska, a decision which ensures larger mission area coverage. I’m proud to have worked with many mayors in coastal communities to ensure the Coast Guard made the appropriate investments to increase geographic coverage and ensure we can more effectively monitor our waterways and coastlines. This announcement gives many of our Southeast communities the long-term certainty they’ve been asking for and brings significant investments – in infrastructure and local housing – to our coastal communities. And frankly, we’re not done pushing the Coast Guard during their recapitalization process.  In fact, we’re just beginning." - More...
Monday PM - April 30, 2018

Alaska: Alaska State Trooper Arrested for Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor - In the interest of maintaining transparency, the Division of Alaska State Troopers (AST) released the following information regarding an Alaska State Trooper under arrest for attempted sexual abuse of a minor.

“This case and investigation have been handled in the same manner as any other, and we are informing the public of these developments today to maintain transparency,” Alaska State Troopers Director Colonel Hans Brinke said. “AST and the Department of Public Safety are committed to fulfilling our mission to protect the public, and staying accountable to the people of Alaska.”

On Thursday, April 26th, AST was notified that Trooper Vance Peronto, a 16-year veteran of AST, may have had inappropriate contact with a minor, and began investigating immediately. Investigators learned that on April 8, Trooper Peronto conducted a traffic stop of a 16-year-old female for driving without her headlights on. No citation was issued. Peronto subsequently contacted the 16-year-old female via social media, and began establishing a social relationship.

Investigators obtained consent from the 16-year-old and her family to retrieve electronic evidence pertinent to the case. On Sunday, Peronto attempted to rendezvous with the female at a hotel in Anchorage, but was instead contacted by Alaska State Troopers with the assistance of the Anchorage Police Department. - More...
Monday PM - April 30, 2018