00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20                                                                     
01 Opposing Arctic marine shipment of nuclear waste between Russia and Japan.                                              
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS there are ongoing negotiations between Russia and Japan to transport                                    
04 highly radioactive waste by way of a marine route across the Arctic Ocean and through the                               
05 Bering Strait; and                                                                                                      
06       WHEREAS decisions made at these negotiations could significantly affect Alaska                                  
07 and other states on the west coast of the United States; and                                                            
08       WHEREAS Alaska has not been invited to participate or consult in any way during                                 
09 these negotiations; and                                                                                                 
10       WHEREAS most of the Alaska population living adjacent to these waterways rely on                                
11 a subsistence lifestyle, and an accidental release of nuclear waste into the areas would have a                         
12 devastating effect on the population's way of life as well as its health; and                                           
13       WHEREAS Alaska takes pride in its largely unspoiled environment, clean air, and                                 
14 clean water; and                                                                                                        
15       WHEREAS the Arctic ecosystem is fragile; and                                                                    
16       WHEREAS if an accident occurred, it could threaten the entire Arctic Ocean and                                  

01 Bering Sea coastline; and                                                                                               
02       WHEREAS the Bering Sea is the most productive fishery in Alaska and one of the                                  
03 most productive in the North Pacific and the world;                                                                     
04       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature strongly opposes an Arctic                                     
05 marine route for transportation of nuclear waste until the nuclear waste to be shipped is                               
06 proven to be of little or no risk to Alaska and adjacent waterways, people, and fisheries; and                          
07 be it                                                                                                                   
08       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests                                        
09 appropriate officials of the United States government to strongly discourage any agreement                              
10 between Japan and Russia to use an Arctic marine route for shipment of nuclear waste.                                   
11       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable George W. Bush, President                              
12 of the United States; the Honorable Colin Powell, United States Secretary of State; the                                 
13 Honorable James B. Cunningham, Acting United States Representative to the United Nations;                               
14 and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and                                  
15 the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in                                       
16 Congress.