1996-10-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 4421
SB 230                                                                       
Message of June 27 was received, stating:                                      
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. II, sec. 15 of the Alaska Constitution, I          
have vetoed the following bill:                                                
                                                                               
CONFERENCE CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 230                                         
An Act relating to management of state land,                                  
water, and land and water as part of a state park,                             
recreational or special management area, or preserve;                          
relating to reports to the legislature concerning                              
prohibitions or restrictions of traditional means of                           
access for traditional recreational uses within a park,                        
recreational or special management area, or preserve;                          
relating to Chilkat State Park; and relating to Denali                         
State Park.                                                                    
                                                                               
This bill represents a sharp and unwarranted departure from                    
longstanding public policy governing the management of state parks             
and recreation areas.  The changes made by the bill would impose               
serious limitations on the ability of the state to effectively manage          
such land, which includes some of the states most important public             
resources.                                                                     
                                                                               
As use increases in our state parks it is imperative that we have the          
means to protect the values for which these special areas have been            
established.  In some cases this means restricting some uses to                
protect park resources and to ensure enjoyment by a wide range of              
users.  The states ability to respond to rapidly changing public use           
patterns and resources in such popular areas as Chugach State Park             
and the Kenai River Special Management Area would be                           
compromised under this legislation.                                            
                                                                               
Under the bill, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would                
be prohibited from managing as a park, recreation area, or special             
management area land it has lawfully acquired under existing law for           
just such a purpose.  The bill also would create onerous new                   
paperwork demands, under which DNR would be required annually                  
                                                                               
                                                                               

1996-10-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 4422
SB 230                                                                       
to report to the legislature virtually every administrative action in the      
preceding year that might be viewed as restricting traditional means           
of access.  The bill is sufficiently ambiguous, both in its definition         
of traditional means of access and in its management intent for                
administratively acquired land, that it could needlessly expose the            
state to litigation.                                                           
                                                                               
It is not in the best interests of the state to restrict management as         
park land to only that land directly designated by the legislature.            
This would call into question the applicability of regulations                 
currently governing the use of numerous public campsites, scenic               
overlooks, trail heads, and other recreation areas that are not within         
the boundaries of legislatively designated parks.  I am convinced that         
the access concerns underlying this bill can be addressed through              
current law, under which the state has broad latitude to determine             
compatible uses of our public resources.                                       
                                                                               
I support exploring new solutions to resolve conflicts between users           
of state parks and recreation areas.  I do not believe, however, that          
this bill offers a constructive step toward that end.                          
					                                                                          
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Tony Knowles                                                             
						Governor