Clinton
puts Tongass in "roadless" status
GOP lawmakers will press Bush to turn decision around
President Clinton today declared nearly a third of the country's federal
forest lands off-limits to most logging including the Tongass National
Forest. The Tongass had been scheduled to be phased into the 
roadless
initiative in 2004. The President's decision immediately includes the
Tongass in the roadless plan. Under the new ruling, timber projects and
related road building already announced in the Federal Register will be
allowed to continue, but over time the new roadless status is expected to
impact timber and road building jobs in Alaska. Congressional Republicans
and timber industry officials already are urging President-elect Bush to
scuttle the plan. That includes Senator Frank Murkowski, who predicts the
plan will be scrapped quickly by the courts. The president's announcement of
the massive forest-protection plan capped a string of White House actions in
recent months. All are aimed at establishing a legacy for protecting public
lands as Clinton (left)
completes the final weeks of his presidency. He has proclaimed a number of
new national monuments to further protect federal lands and is expected to
designate several more before leaving office January 20th. But his
forest-protection rules, covering nearly 60-million acres of roadless forest
lands in 38 states, have been even more controversial. Of the acreage
nationally, 15-million are in Alaska, 9-million are in Idaho, 2-million in
Oregon and 2-million in Washington.
Babbitt
says ANWR doesn't need "monument" status
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has reaffirmed urging President Clinton not
to declare the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a national monument to keep
oil developers away. Babbitt says it would be a meaningless gesture.
Protecting ANWR has gained a renewed urgency among environmentalists since
President-elect Bush targeted oil development there as a central part of his
long-term energy plan.
Environmental groups have been lobbying the White House to try to get
Clinton to declare the refuge a national monument. They contend it would
head off attempts by Congress to open the refuge's coastal plain to oil and
gas drilling. But Babbitt says adding a monument designation to the area
would add no protection that isn't already there. Babbitt (right)
said Thursday ANWR already is protected because it would require
congressional action to open the refuge to oil development. He says any such
move would be strongly contested. Using the authority of the 1906
Antiquities Act, Clinton by executive order has created a dozen federal
monuments this year. Almost all of them came on Babbitt's recommendation.
Monument designation provides increased protection against development. In
the case of ANWR, such protection already is written into the law.
Pair
hurt in ATV crash
Two people were injured, one seriously, in an all terrain vehicle accident
early this morning. Workers at the Lemon Creek Correctional Facility heard
someone calling for help from the area of Anka Street behind Costco at about
1:45am. When police arrived they discovered that a four-wheeler appeared to
have rolled over. Pinned underneath the ATV was the driver, 20 year-old
Jordan Irwin. Irwin suffered head injuries and broken bones and was
medivaced to Seattle. The passenger, 16 year-old Michael Guthrie, suffered
minor injuries. Police Sergeant John Boltjes says the ATV stuck a closed
gate and overturned, pinning Irwin beneath it. Neither rider were wearing a
helmets at the time of the accident, and they were running the ATV without
lights. Police are continuing their investigation.
Kerttula
readies for session
Juneau
Downtown Representative Beth Kerttula (left)
says the legislature has more important things to consider than moving
legislative sessions to Anchorage. House Bill One, sponsored by Anchorage
Representatives Joe Green and Norm Rokeberg, would move legislative sessions
to the state's largest city. Kerttula says she hopes the bill is what it has
been in previous sessions -- a protest or posturing, rather than a reality.
She hopes that legislator's focus on the states' economy and education
issues. However, Kerttula says, the capital building is reaching full
capacity and Juneau residents and the CBJ Assembly should continue to
consider providing more space. Kerttula says this session she'll continue to
work on a bill she sponsored last session requiring cruise ship pollution
monitoring, and she has pre-filed a bill requiring smaller class sizes in
Alaska's schools. Kerttula was a guest on this morning's edition of KINY's
Capital Chat.
Committee
suggests better bear relations
The Mayors Ad-Hoc Bear Committee is recommending an ordinance defining how
garbage should be stored, and new fines. Committee Chair Mark Farmer says
committee members agree that bears should be considered neighbors and not
nuisances. He says that's going to require educating Juneau residents. The
committee is considering a "Bear Fair" or a "Bear Day",
celebrated as a community, before the bears emerge from their dens. The Bear
Committee will be holding public hearings later this month to gather
suggestions from the public. The meetings will be held in various locations
around Juneau and Douglas.
CBJ
seeks harbormaster
If you think you've got what it takes to be a Harbormaster, the City and
Borough of Juneau wants you. Port Director Joe Graham (right)
has been handling both jobs since 1994. He says his job has
increasingly evolved into a project and property management role. He says he
hasn't had time to do both jobs for years. The CBJ Docks and Harbors Board
has decided to re-establish the position of Harbormaster to oversee all
harbor, marina and launch ramp facilities. A transfer of a maintenance and
operations supervisor to another city department has provided an opening in
the CBJ Harbors Department. Graham says by getting an overall administrator
for the entire marina system, it will make for a more efficient command
structure. The City is advertising for the position and Graham says they
hope to hire a new Harbormaster by this summer.
Plows
won't clear all of Auke Rec road
The 1.2 mile portion of the Glacier Highway at the end of Auke Bay will not
be plowed this winter. The US Forest Service has assumed responsibility for
that portion of road as a result of the state's construction of the new
section of road known as the Auke Bay Bypass. Ron Marvin with the US Forest
Service says the Bypass provides for a safe fast route for through traffic.
Marvin says the Forest Service will now plan for some improvements on the
old road along the Auke Bay Recreation Area. Marvin says more parking space
is a priority.
Stevens
to talk missile system with Bush next week
Senator
Ted Stevens will be joining a bipartisan group of lawmakers for a meeting
with President-elect George W. Bush next week. The meeting is scheduled for
Monday at Austin, Texas. And the agenda will be centered around national
defense issues. Among other things, the group will be talking about the
status of the US military, deployment of forces in the Pacific and overall
defense strategy. Stevens says his topic list also will include plans for a
national missile defense system -- portions of which would be built in
Alaska. Stevens already has talked missile defense with Defense Secretary
nominee Don Rumsfeld. The Alaska Republican believes the Bush administration
will follow through with Clinton administration plans to base at least an
intermediate missile interceptor system in the state. From Texas, Stevens
will head for Hawaii to visit members of the Pacific Command.
Flags
lowered for Pappy
Governor Knowles has ordered state flags to be flown at half staff today in
memory of former state Senator Pappy Moss. The 79-year-old Moss died Sunday
at his home in Chugiak. Moss served two terms in the state House and one in
the Senate from 1978 through 1984, representing Delta Junction and other
Interior communities. After a career as a pilot, Moss homesteaded near Big
Delta, where he grew barley and other crops and mined for gold. Services for
Moss are planned today at a church in Eagle River.
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