Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
04/13/2011 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB185 | |
| HJR21 | |
| HJR23 | |
| HCR9 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 185 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 23 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HCR 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HJR 21-OPPOSING FEDERAL WILD LAND DESIGNATION
4:20:09 PM
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN announced the consideration of HJR 21
4:20:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ERIC FEIGE, prime sponsor of HJR 21, stated that
this resolution opposes the creation of de facto wilderness in
the state without congressional oversight. On December 22, 2010,
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar issued Secretarial
Order (S.O.) Number 3310 directing the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) to inventory and designate land with wilderness
characteristics as "wild lands," a new classification for which
there is no legal definition. He offered his belief that S.O.
No. 3310 may go so far as to seek wilderness status in an area
that is critical to the economies of Alaska and the nation, the
National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA).
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE asserted that S.O. No. 3310 is in conflict
with and superseded by both the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act (ANCSA) and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA) because it is only Congress that has the authority
to designate wilderness areas. Furthermore, S.O. No. 3310
directly conflicts with the "no more" clauses in ANILCA and the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act.
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE highlighted that several states have gone
on record opposing S.O. No. 3310 including Governor Parnell who
sent Secretary Salazar a letter outlining Alaska's concerns. HJR
21 urges the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw S.O. 3310 and
to direct the BLM to administer federal land in Alaska in
accordance with existing statutes and agency guidelines. If S.O.
No. 3310 is not withdrawn, HJR 21 asks Congress to prohibit the
use of appropriated funds by the Department of Interior to
implement, administer, or enforce S.O. No. 3310.
SENATOR FRENCH asked for help understanding the difference
between "wild lands" and "wilderness."
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE replied "wild lands" doesn't have a
definition and "wilderness" has a legal definition.
SENATOR FRENCH asked what S.O. No. 3310 says about wild lands.
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE answered it establishes wild lands as a new
designation.
4:24:52 PM
SENATOR FRENCH directed attention to the "whereas" clause on
page 2, lines [8-10], that states "Secretary Salazar failed to
recognize that the policy expressed in the order will negatively
affect the state's cultural resources and economic prosperity;"
and asked if S.O. No. 3310 didn't make specific reference to
cultural resources.
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE replied he wasn't sure.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN asked Representative Feige if he was concerned
that the wild land designation may impact NPRA or the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE replied the concern centers on the fact
that no one knows exactly what that designation will mean.
Because of the uncertainty, the fear is that it will lead to
more wilderness designation and accompanying development
restrictions within the state.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN closed public testimony and announced he would
hold HJR 21 in committee.