Enrolled HCR 5: Declaring 2015, 2016, and 2017 to be the Years of the Arctic; encouraging the state and its partners to join with the Institute of the North in encouraging the state to promote its Arctic policy during the Years of the Arctic and to take action to address the strategic recommendations in the Implementation Plan of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission.
00Enrolled HCR 5 01 Declaring 2015, 2016, and 2017 to be the Years of the Arctic; encouraging the state and its 02 partners to join with the Institute of the North in encouraging the state to promote its Arctic 03 policy during the Years of the Arctic and to take action to address the strategic 04 recommendations in the Implementation Plan of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. 05 _______________ 06 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 07 WHEREAS residents of the state are at the forefront of emerging economic and 08 resource development opportunities, vibrant healthy communities, and circumpolar 09 cooperation; and 10 WHEREAS the vision of the state for the Arctic is based on economic resource 11 development, a healthy environment, secure and safe communities, and transparent decision 12 making; and 13 WHEREAS the Arctic is an integral part of the identity of the state, home to many 14 residents of the state, and an important part of the history, culture, and prosperity of the state; 15 and 16 WHEREAS the Arctic is a significant geopolitical feature of the nation; and
01 WHEREAS the Arctic is becoming increasingly accessible, presenting a multitude of 02 opportunities that should be realized; and 03 WHEREAS the Implementation Plan, released by the Alaska Arctic Policy 04 Commission, highlights the critical importance of the Arctic to the future of the state; and 05 WHEREAS there is a need to strengthen international collaboration, promote 06 economic and resource development, and continue to cultivate healthy communities and a 07 healthy environment in the Arctic; and 08 WHEREAS the United States will chair the Arctic Council from April 2015 to 09 May 2017; and 10 WHEREAS the state should anticipate increased national and international attention 11 during this period; and 12 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature continues to encourage the United States 13 Department of State to work with the state to hold as many meetings of the Senior Arctic 14 Officials as possible in the state during the two-year Arctic Council chairmanship of the 15 United States; and 16 WHEREAS the members of the Senate Special Committee on the Arctic and the 17 House Special Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Arctic Policy would like 18 to join the efforts of the governor as ex officio members of the state's host committee for the 19 Arctic Council and the working groups of the Arctic Council; and 20 WHEREAS nothing in this resolution supports, endorses, or opposes the 21 reestablishment of the Alaska coastal zone management program that expired in 2011 and was 22 rejected by the state voters in 2012; and 23 WHEREAS nothing in this resolution supports, endorses, or opposes the United 24 Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; 25 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature declares 2015, 2016, and 2017 26 to be the Years of the Arctic, a period during which the state should make every effort to 27 highlight the importance of the Arctic to residents of the state and nation; and be it 28 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the state and 29 its partners to join with the Institute of the North in encouraging the state to promote its Arctic 30 policy and broadening awareness of Arctic issues; and be it 31 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the state to
01 take action during the Years of the Arctic to address the strategic recommendations in the 02 Implementation Plan of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission.