AlaskaWild Update #271 - December 20, 2007
- Alaska Wilderness League’s Wilderness Wish List
- The League Launches New BLM Campaign in Anchorage
Alaska Wilderness League’s Wilderness Wish List
Congress left for the holidays last night after finally reaching a compromise with President Bush over contentious appropriations bills. As members of Congress now head home with this year’s work behind them, their constituents have started contacting them about the issues that lie ahead in 2008. With that in mind, consider reaching out to your members of Congress one last time in 2007. What should you tell them? In the holiday spirit, we suggest you highlight the most important item on our winter wish list: Wilderness protection for wild Alaska.
Wilderness Protection for the Arctic Refuge
In 2007, we witnessed the introduction of two pieces of legislation that would protect the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In the House, Representatives Markey (D-MA) and Ramstad (R-MN) introduced HR 39, the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act. Since January, 148 members of Congress have cosponsored this bill, officially demonstrating their support for this important legislation. Urge your member of Congress to join this group of courageous representatives and help build momentum toward permanent protections for the Arctic Refuge.
In the Senate, Senator Lieberman introduced the Arctic Wilderness Act. Sen. Lieberman was supported by 25 senators in submitting the Wilderness legislation. Like the House bill, the Arctic Wilderness Act would end the decades old debate over oil drilling and would permanently protect the most biologically rich and culturally significant portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Contact your senators and ask them to support this important bill.
Wilderness Protection for the Tongass National Forest
This fall, Representative DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act, a bill that would designate as Wilderness or otherwise protect much of what remains wild in the Tongass National Forest. Over the years, the Tongass has suffered from excessive clearcut logging practices. More than half of the most important old growth trees in the Tongass have been lost to clearcutting, fracturing critical wildlife habitat and scarring the land. With the Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act, Congress now has the opportunity to protect what remains of these old growth stands. Forty-four members of Congress have already signed on to the bill as cosponsors. Take action for the Tongass and ask your representative to take to stand to protect the Tongass’ ancient trees.
Protecting Wilderness Values of the Polar Bear Seas and Teshekpuk Lake
Over the past year, we have witnessed increasing momentum in the effort to protect the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas – together known as the Polar Bear Seas – and the Teshekpuk Lake wetlands on Alaska’s North Slope. In the coming year, there will be more opportunities for Congress to fight the administration’s unprecedented oil and gas development plans in this fragile arctic region. Thankfully, Capitol Hill is beginning to understand the urgency of the situation and the need to act now: the arctic sea ice is melting, polar bear populations are suffering, and the ever-expanding reach of the oil and gas industry is encroaching upon some of the most significant wild lands in America’s Arctic.
Get ready to take action for America’s Arctic in 2008. In the meantime, explore some background information about Teshekpuk Lake, one of the federally designated “Special Areas” of the western Arctic. Field & Stream has published a short but wonderful slideshow presentation about this area and the thousands of waterfowl that depend on it.
Alaska Wilderness League Launches New BLM Campaign in Anchorage
Just two months ago, Alaska Wilderness League launched its BLM Wildlands program. The new campaign, directed from Alaska Wilderness League’s Anchorage field office, is focused on monitoring BLM planning activities in Alaska.
The need for the BLM program is evident by the aggressive and irresponsible administrative push to open millions of acres of Alaska’s BLM lands to development. While over 50 million acres of Alaska’s wild BLM lands have enjoyed legal protections from development for over 35 years, the current administration is now looking for ways to open the door to mining and other extractive industries. The administration is seeking to remove long-standing protections for nearly 24 million acres of Alaska’s wild public lands – an area larger than Mississippi – through the creation of long-term Resource Management Plans and Environmental Impact Statements (RMP/EIS).
The goal of the League’s new program is to work with Alaskans and concerned activists across the lower 48 states to identify, nominate and protect the extraordinary values found throughout BLM lands in Alaska. To this end, Alaska Wilderness League’s two newest program staff members – Jennifer Hillman and Jeremiah Millen – have begun working with tribes, sporting groups, local residents, and subsistence and recreational users. The program will serve as a voice for various stakeholders to ensure that the public has the knowledge and tools needed to participate in the planning and management of BLM lands in Alaska.
To read more about Alaska’s BLM lands and our new campaign, visit our BLM campaign web pages. Keep coming back to find the latest information and action items.
