HB 186-WOOD BISON  1:29:10 PM CO-CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business is HOUSE BILL NO. 186, "An Act relating to the authority of the commissioner of fish and game with regard to the importation or relocation of wood bison in the state." 1:29:20 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:29 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. 1:30:54 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK, speaking as the sponsor of HB 186, paraphrased from the following sponsor statement [original punctuation provided]: Wood bison are an endangered species. The only herd of Wood bison in the whole United States resides in the Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage, AK awaiting release. They have been promised a 10-J exemption to the Endangered Species Act. Alaska Department of Fish and Game has planned for years to introduce those bison into the Innoko River drainage, close to the villages of Shageluk, Anvik, Holy Cross and Grayling. The people of that area have cooperated with ADF&G, unaware of the potential long-term, irreversible impact of introducing an endangered species. The Federal Government has never passed up on an opportunity to lock up Alaskan lands. Environmental groups are not likely to wait long before filing litigation against the 10-J exemption. The history of Federal and State governments, combined with the unwavering assault against development in Alaska by environmental groups makes the introduction of an endangered species an extremely risky venture that should not be undertaken without serious deliberation. This is not a scientific issue, nor a food issue. It is a totally political issue with grave long-term consequences for any region of the state. This bill does not prohibit the introduction of the Wood Bison. It simply requires that the introduction occur with permission of the Alaska State Legislature. This safeguards people of any area of Alaska from the introduction of Trojan Bison without fully informed counsel. In 40 years of conflict in the Delta Junction area the State of Alaska has done very little to resolve the unintended consequences that occurred from the introduction of Plains bison into the region in the 1920's. The unintended consequences that will result from the introduction of Wood bison into the Innoko area will be much more significant than those in the Delta area. Those who think they will be eating Wood bison in ten years will more likely become embroiled in a lawsuit within two. 1:32:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK then presented an 8-minute video on wood bison; the written transcript from which he paraphrased follows [original punctuation provided]: My main concern with the introduction of Wood Bison into our area is that the people of Holy Cross, Anvik, Shageluk and Grayling are going to end up a sad "Whereas..." in a sad petition to Washington DC where the government is no longer of by and for the people. Once you know the facts, I don't think you will consider it for a nanosecond. The wood bison that ADF&G plans to introduce into our district is the ONLY Wood Bison herd in the US. Should we think for one minute that the Federal Government will uphold their 10-J exemption to the Endangered Species Act? Should we think that the 10-j exemption will last one weekend before Environmental groups file a law suit against it? We won't be hunters. We will become litigators in lawsuits! I wanted the bison in the headwaters of the Stony River until I learned the story. They are Trojan Bison. Once we allow them through the gates, they will destroy our country from within. Look at Delta. They have Plains bison to hunt. Over 16,000 people apply for a permit each year and only 130 people get one. What will our chances be ten years from now when bison hunts are opened? (If our lawyers perform a miracle and protect us from the Federal and environmental nonsense.) Do we want all those outsiders hunting in our backyard? Do we really think we will get a permit? Our chances are better at the local bingo hall. Have you read the 10-J exemption to the Endangered Species Act. Here it is. There's nothing there that makes me feel safe. The Feds have never rescinded a 10-J exemption yet... yet! When did the Feds pass up a chance to lie to Alaskans and take our land? When did the Feds not lie to Indians? This is an endangered species we are talking about bringing into our country. These are the ONLY Wood Bison in the whole United States. Look at the polar bears. Reliable sources say there are five times more polar bears now than there were in the 70's, but the Feds recently have taken charge of 120 million acres, from the Canadian border to below Kotzebue. And the polar bears aren't even endangered. I think the Feds are using the bears to lock up the country. Doyon folks didn't want the bison in the Minto Flats and made sure they stayed in Portage. Should we trust the Federal government? Look at the Statehood Act The Feds knew we didn't have many people to tax in order to run the State government, so the Feds agreed to develop the resources of Alaska. The state was to get 90% of the revenue to run the state. That was the Statehood Agreement act. 1:35:05 PM With ANILCA, President Carter violated the Statehood Act! The statehood act gave the State of Alaska 104 M acres of land. ANILCA locked up an equal amount, 104 M acres. The Feds promised they would NEVER do that again. Recently, President Obama, in violation of ANILCA, set in motion the process to take another huge chunk of Federal land in Alaska and lock that up too in the name of "wild lands." They lie. Not once, but always. They lied with the statehood act, they lied with ANILCA, and now they are doing it again. Who in the Federal Government could sign a paper that you would believe? I passed through Oregon when one Federal Judge shut down most of the logging industry in that state because of the spotted owl. Environmental groups said the Endangered spotted owl only nested in old growth trees, so they needed to be protected. Thousands of people were put out of work because of the owl. But the truth is the spotted owl loves to nest in old pickup trucks and other such places. The environmentalists used the owl to lock up the state and put people out of work. 1:36:37 PM Recently on the House floor we passed HJR 17 urging the Federal Government to reconsider the situation in Unalaska. Unalaska had an exemption but the EPA revoked the exemption that Unalaska had regarding their water and secondary treatment plants. The EPA requirement is now an unfunded mandate of $9.5 million for treatment for cryptosporidium and there is NO cryptosporidium in Unalaska! The secondary treatment mandate is between $20-50 million. That totals over $6,500 for every man, woman and child in the town of 4,370 folks. When Unalaska appealed, the EPA said "Too bad." The deadline for filling for an exemption had passed. They don't care about the people of Unalaska. The reason I mention this is that we will be trusting in an exemption the same way Unalaska did. Look how the Feds locked up the Tongass Forest. Remember, the Statehood Agreement said that Alaskans could develop resources on the Federal lands and the state would get 90% of the revenue. Thousands of people were put out of their jobs by the Federal lockup of the Tongass. South East villages are dying now because there is no economy. Do we think the Feds care any more for us? 1:37:56 PM Should we trust the environmental groups? Do we think they will not immediately file a law suit against the 10-J exemption? Do you remember how the environmental groups lied to the people of Alaska during the predator control issue? This is why we have a few moose in many parts of the state. Environmental groups made big bucks on the wolf issue, bleeding money out of the uninformed people of the lower 48 to "save the wolves" that wiped out our moose population. They would love to take your case to court... the ONLY wood bison herd in the United States. This will be a big fund-raiser for them. They will make millions of dollars by challenging the 10-J exemption. We Alaskans have no way to fight back. Should we trust our own State government? A herd of Plains Bison have been in Delta since the 20's. They are not an endangered species, but the Delta hunt is so popular, the State has ignored the cries of the Delta farmers for decades. The bison trampled $150,000 worth of barley just last year, but ADF&G hasn't done a thing about it. If the State won't do something for the Delta farmers, what makes us think they will do something for us against the Federal Government when the Trojan Bison have our land locked up? 1:38:55 PM Concern The bill I have submitted to the House only requires the Department of Fish & Game to get permission from the Legislature before introducing the Endangered Bison into a location in Alaska. It doesn't prohibit the introduction of bison; it just helps keep folks from being buffalo-ed by the buffalo. If the land gets locked up, does the State government lose? No. Biologists still get to have their pet project to study bison. Do professional hunting groups lose? Well they will lose the money they put into the project, but their country won't be locked up. Who is the loser? The people who will be hurt the most are the people of Holy Cross, Anvik, Shageluk and Grayling, but the whole state will be negatively affected as well. 1:39:34 PM What is the best-case scenario? In ten years we get a one-in-a-hundred chance to hunt a bison, while competing with scores of outsiders in our country. What is the worst-case scenario? Your corporation land, and all surrounding Federal and State land, will be locked up while the bison roam free. We will spend our lives in court, and some Federal judge no one every voted for, who could care less whether we live or die, will decide whether we can tiptoe on the tundra. The effect of the release of the Trojan Bison will be irreversible. Once they are loose, the problems they bring will never go away. People of Holy Cross, Grayling, Anvik and Shageluk I think introducing the bison into your backyard is a HUGE mistake. Some of your young guys will go out on a snowy winter night to taste bison meat and will end up in Federal prison for killing an endangered species. The bison will be free roaming and the people will be locked up. Let me make a suggestion. Tell Fish & Game you want Plains bison like Delta, Fairwell and Copper River. I bet Plains Bison taste just as good as Trojan Bison. You will get all the benefits with none of the risk. Tell Fish and Game to find another place for the Endangered Bison. The real solution is effective predator control to get our moose back. I fear that we will become a very sad "Whereas" in a very sad petition to Washington DC that doesn't listen to our Governor or any other entity in this state. Consider the facts and get back to me. Thanks. 1:41:01 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK concluded: Do you remember the Charlie Brown cartoon? Every year Lucy promised not to pull the football away, every year Charlie trusted her, and every year she found another excuse to break her word and leave Charlie Brown flat on his back. It's like that, the federal government will find some excuse to break a promise, they always do. 1:41:28 PM [Co-Chair Seaton returned the gavel to Co-Chair Feige.] 1:41:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK, in response to Representative Herron, said that he is still trying to understand the definition of the term nonessential experimental population, which he opined is being redefined. In fact, the 10(j) exemption of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is being re-worded so the people of Alaska will have greater assurances. In further response to Representative Herron, Representative Dick said that he hasn't submitted comments to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regarding the reclassification of the wood bison from endangered to threatened. He related his opinion that there isn't any wording of the 10(j) exemption that would make any difference, particularly due to his mistrust of the federal government. 1:43:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER asked if Representative Dick had received any film credits for the earlier presented film. REPRESENTATIVE DICK replied no. 1:44:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI inquired as to how [HB 186] will impact the current bison in Portage and whether the legislation will delay the existing proposal. REPRESENTATIVE DICK said that he has had conversations with ADF&G staff and learned that there is the possibility that this might delay the moving of the bison one more year. He clarified that he doesn't intend to cause delay, but rather to be sure those in the area where the bison would be located are fully informed. 1:45:55 PM CO-CHAIR FEIGE surmised from Representative Dick's video that it's not so much of an issue of trust of the federal government. Rather, it's that if bison are introduced, the state is subject to any nongovernmental unit bringing a lawsuit. REPRESENTATIVE DICK indicated that to be the case. He then related that he trusts the current governor and commissioner of ADF&G. However, he recalled times when past governors had no concern for rural Alaskans. Therefore, he expressed concern that in the future ADF&G won't be able to move these bison into a place in Alaska without the consent of the legislature. In this case, Representative Dick opined that residents of Anvik, Shageluk, and Grayling have been given the positive side of introducing wood bison, but don't understand the irrevocable consequences. 1:47:52 PM CO-CHAIR FEIGE then announced that HB 186 would be held over, noting that public testimony will be taken on 4/6/11. 1:48:03 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:48 p.m. to 2:06 p.m.