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Clinton passes on ANWR "monument" designation
Believes there is already adequate protection
President Clinton will not designate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain a national monument before leaving office later this month. That's the word today from White House spokesman Jake Siewert. Environmentalists have pressed Clinton to declare monument status for the coastal plain to ensure its permanent protection from oil development. President-elect Bush has made drilling in the reserve a major part of his proposed energy plan. Siewert said the White House decided that ANWR (right) is already adequately protected, since it would require an act of Congress to open the coastal plain of the refuge to drilling.
A strong earthquake rattled Kodiak Island early today. Paul Whitmore of the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, says the quake had a magnitude of 6.9, and occurred at 7:03am. Whitmore says the quake was centered 70 miles southwest of Kodiak city, or 330 miles southwest of Anchorage. He says the quake was felt strongly at Kodiak. But he says it wasn't powerful enough to generate a tsunami. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries on Kodiak Island, according to Paul Smith of the police department there. He said it lasted about 6 seconds. The area was also experiencing high winds and he says that may have confused some residents. He says the magnitude was later corrected and pegged at 6.7 on the Richter Scale. An aftershock occurred at 11:12am, and had a magnitude of 5.0. It was located 65 miles southwest of Kodiak and was felt in Old Harbor. Again, there were no reports of damage.
A bill introduced in the State House today is aimed at better preparing Alaska for a big earthquake. House Bill 53, sponsored by Fairbanks Representative John Davies (left), wouldestablish the Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission. Davies said on the House floor this morning that the agency would provide necessary oversight. He said the state is prepared to respond to a disastrous quake, but needs to do a better job in mitigating potential damage. Davies added that Alaska is the only state with a significant seismic risk that does not have such a commission. Ironically, he says most of the commissions in the other states were formed in the wake of the Great Alaska Earthquake in 1964.
Direct economic impacts of the Juneau International Airport exceeded $41-million dollars in 1999. That according to an economic impact study just completed by the McDowell Group. The Airport Board will get its first look at the study during tonight's meeting. Patty De LaPruere of the Airport Manager's office says that if indirect impacts were added, the authors believe the total impact could double to exceed $80-million. The meeting begins at 7:00pm in the Airport's Aurora Room.
The Planning Commission approved two leases of city land related to the Juneau Gun Club site on Montana Creek Road during last night's meeting. Community Development Director Cheryl Easterwood says one renews the existing lease for the club's trap shooting facility. The second one provides for a sublease to accommodate an indoor shooting range. The State Department of Fish and Game received funding recently to build an indoor shooting range. The commission recommended that the Assembly approve both leases for 25 year terms. The panel also approved a conditional use permit for the city to operate a rock quarry on Lower Fish Creek road. The commission placed about 12 conditions on the permit, according to Easterwood who says the quarry would be operated depending on the need for public projects. The site is about three quarters of a mile up the Eaglecrest Road. It was used as a quarry in the 1970s. Easterwood says there's an estimated 90,000 cubic yards of material on the site. She says it could all be removed within a three month period but that will depend on demand.
The Assembly Finance Committee begins its budget work for next fiscal year during a meeting this evening. Committee Chair Cathy Munoz (right) says an overview is planned tonight. She says the committee will review the recommendations made by the Mayor's Fiscal Task last year, now and through March. In April, the panel will go to work in the specific budget proposal and Munoz says she hopes to wrap up the process in late May. The budget must be in place by June 15th. The spending plan for next fiscal year is the second year of a two year budget cycle. This evening's meeting begins at 5 in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
Governor Tony Knowles presents his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature tonight. Knowles may be choosing a popular topic to lead off his speech -- the proposed gas line from the North Slope. But the governor says he'll also push his more controversial proposals like financial planning and subsistence. The speech begins at 7:00pm. KINY Radio will provide direct access to the speech, both audio and video, here.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries has opened a contentious meeting in Anchorage that could reshape some of the state's most combative fisheries. Fishing groups are well represented in the hotel conference room where the meeting is being held. Over the next three weeks, the board will scrutinize disastrous salmon runs in Western Alaska. In another proposal, Chitina dipnetters are asking the board to restrict the Copper River commercial fleet until more fish enter the river. But Cordova fishermen say the proposal would damage the lucrative market the area has helped shape. Another hot topic to be debated by the board is the future of the Area-M fishery along the Alaska Peninsula. Fishermen in Western Alaska claim the Area-M fishery intercepts too many chum salmon bound for the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.
Juneau's strange weather this winter and the lack of snow was the topic of conversation on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. Host Chris Burns started the program by asking Lead Forecaster Don Drew (right in photo) of the Juneau National Weather Service Office, "What the heck is going on with this winter?" Drew says there has been a persistent ridge of high pressure just to the east of Juneau. He said it's very strong and keeps the cold air and snow to the east of
the Rockies. The Warning Coordination Meteorologist in Juneau, Aimee Devaris (left in photo), says not much of a change is expected based on her review of the website maintained by the Climate Prediction Center in Washington, DC. She says the center expects current conditions, including warmer than normal temperatures, to be maintained over the next few months. The latest opening for Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski area ever was January 13, 1996. The forecasters don't expect there to be enough snow for Eaglecrest to open by then this year.
A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Hong Kong was diverted to Anchorage Monday so that a disruptive passenger could be removed. FBI agents arrested 44-year-old Steven Scott Tabloff of Buffalo Grove, Illinois and charged him with interfering with flight crew members.
A Chugiak man and a Russian have been jailed. They're charged with lying to get Russian dancers into Alaska for what they called "cultural" performances that turned out to be stripping at an Anchorage nightclub.
Organizers say 472 athletes from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have been selected to represent the United States at the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games inAnchorage. The athletes will comprise Special Olympics Team USA. They will join 1,528 other athletes from 80 countries at the upcoming event. The games are to run from March 4th through March 11th. Mary Gore of Juneau Special Olympics says seven athletes from the Capital City will be involved. One is serving as an alternate. Organizers are calling it the largest international sporting event ever staged in Alaska. The theme for the seventh annual Special Olympics World Winter Games is "Challenging New Frontiers."
The Juneau Douglas High School Crimson Bears Men's basketball squad is in Wasilla for a game tonight. Tip off on KINY is 7:00pm. The broadcast begins with a pre-game show at 7:45. Listen live here.(Captions for our photographs can be viewed by hovering over them with your mouse pointer)
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