Alaska Wild Update #203 - May 16, 2003

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I don't see how the administration can get legislation that incorporates drilling in [the Arctic Refuge] through the Senate. [Drilling opponents] have a lock on a filibuster, and it seems unclear whether Republicans can even muster a bare majority."
-Jerry Taylor, Director of Natural Resource Studies, Cato Institute, May 15

HEADLINES

SENATE DELAYS ENERGY BILL; COOKING UP ANOTHER ARCTIC SCHEME

UNHEALTHY FORESTS INITIATIVE THREATENS CHUGACH

NO WILDERNESS FOR YOU!

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

SENATE DELAYS ENERGY BILL; COOKING UP ANOTHER ARCTIC SCHEME

The Senate this week put off the timing for final passage of the Energy bill until some time in June after the Memorial Day Recess. Over a hundred amendments remain to be considered. When the bill is taken up again in June, it is likely that it will yet take several weeks before all the amendments are worked through on the floor of the Senate.

In other news, it is apparent now that despite the Senate voting twice in less than a year to oppose drilling in the Arctic Refuge, some Senators are still pushing to have the drilling proposal included in any final bill.

While the House energy bill that passed includes a drilling provision, some Senate leaders have stated repeatedly that they have no intention of including Arctic drilling in their version of the energy bill. If that holds true, House and Senate will meet and work out the differences between the whole bill, including the difference over drilling in the Refuge.

On May 15, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) held a news conference on Capitol Hill to provide an update on the energy plan, released in May 2001.

"We've seen the Senate reaction to a particular proposal on ANWR," Norton said. "I think now we have to look creatively to see if there is some way to craft a proposal that will be one that can be passed by the Senate."

While most of the press conference was talking about the prospects for getting a bill to the President to sign, many of the reporters present asked Arctic specific questions.

"I think any bill that's a step in the right direction is a bill we should send," Barton said, responding to questions about whether it would be worth it to send a bill to the president without an ANWR provision. "The best bill would have ANWR in it and I support ANWR. ... I think it has a legitimate shot [of passage ]."

Most importantly, after the press conference ended, Barton stayed to take a few more questions, all of them about the Arctic. Barton states that there will be a package with an Arctic “compromise”. When asked if there are already meetings between the House and Senate to work out such a ploy, Barton said that there are meetings between House Energy and Commerce Chair Billy Tauzin (R-LA), House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL), House Resources Committee Richard Pombo (R-CA) and Senator Craig Thomas specifically on Arctic.

Legislation that goes through a conference committee and has Arctic in it would have to be filibustered in order to prevent drilling when it came back to the Senate for a final vote.

Go to http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/alert/?alertid=2175191 to take action.

UNHEALTHY FORESTS INITIATIVE THREATENS CHUGACH

A vote is expected as early as next week on fire legislation that would allow unchecked logging in wild forests, including the Chugach National Forest in Alaska’s rainforest.

The House of Representatives will soon vote, as early as next week on fire legislation that would allow unchecked logging in wild forests, including the Chugach National Forest in Alaska’s rainforest. The legislation would waive environmental laws, interfere with judicial review, and reduce public input for logging projects in our national forests and other public lands. The so-called "Healthy Forests Restoration Act," (HR 1904) passed out of the
House Resources Committee without a single hearing. The measure could come before the full House of Representatives as early as Tuesday (5-20-03) of next week. This bill masquerades as a plan to protect communities at risk from wildfire, while in reality it undermines our environmental laws and the judicial processes that have long applied to logging on our public lands.

Under the guise of “forest health” and fire protection, the McInnis bill could push logging into backcountry wilderness areas of the Chugach National Forest and harm its famous brown bear and salmon populations. Rather than protecting homes and communities first, which Alaskan conservationists have long advocated, the McInnis bill increases logging, while leaving communities at risk and gutting longstanding environmental safeguards.

Rep. George Miller (D-CA) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) will offer substitute legislation that would help focus fire risk reduction efforts where they would do the most good – close to communities and homes. The Miller-DeFazio bill, through block grants to states, would provide funds for fuel reduction on private, state and tribal land – which comprise 85 percent of the forested land near vulnerable communities – as well as on federal lands. This approach would put available funds to use where they are most
effective: where wildfires pose a real threat to human lives and homes. It is far superior to the McInnis bill.

For more information on this issue and to take action, please go to (www.akrain.org).

NO WILDERNESS FOR YOU!

Late on Friday April 11, the Department of the Interior and the State of Utah struck a “sweetheart deal” in which Secretary Norton committed to never again allow the Bureau of Land Management to review and classify areas as “wilderness study” – an important interim protection for lands suitable for wilderness designation by Congress. This decision affects all BLM lands, not just in Utah, but across the nation. At stake is the breathtakingly
beautiful red rock canyon country of southern Utah, striking techni-color rock formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona, and the quiet forests and dramatic canyons of the Roan Plateau in Colorado. Instead of being safeguarded as wilderness study areas, these treasures could be opened to mining, drilling, logging or reckless road building!

Also on April 11, Secretary Norton issued an order that the Bureau of Land Management halt wilderness reviews in Alaska specifically – despite the fact that there are millions of acres of incredible forests, mountains, wetlands, and delicate tundra that deserve consideration for permanent wilderness protection.

In an effort to demonstrate how many members of Congress are opposed to the No New Wilderness policy, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Earl Blumenauer, (D-OR) and Mark Udall (D-CO) are sending a letter to the administration opposing the Administration’s attack on America’s wilderness heritage. The letter is a sign-on letter for other members of Congress to demand responsible stewardship of lands that belong to all Americans.

To urge your elected Representative to join the fight for our public lands by signing on to letter led by Representatives Hinchey (NY), Udall (CO), and Blumenauer (OR), or Click Here to send a letter.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

At the end of the month, Congress leaves Washington for a week for the Memorial Day recess. This is a great opportunity for activists to visit with their members of Congress since they will be home at that time. Call your local Representative and ask for a meeting sometime during the week of May 26 so you can speak with your member about Alaskan wilderness. Here are some tips to arrange a meeting:

• When you call the local office, get the number either online or in your local telephone book;
•Ask to speak with the appointments secretary or scheduler;
•Introduce yourself as a constituent, stating where you live;
•Tell the appointment secretary which issue you would like to discuss with your lawmaker (i.e. HR 770 the Arctic Wilderness Bill and HR 979, the Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act);
•Request a 15 minute meeting with your legislator (you may be given a shorter appointment, but any time is better than none). While it is best to meet directly with your legislator, if he or she is unavailable, you can schedule an appointment with the legislative aide responsible for environmental issues.
•It's a good idea to send a follow-up letter or fax confirming your appointment. Remember to include your name, address and daytime phone number.
•Assemble a diverse group of like-minded friends, individuals or groups (preferably one who are among the lawmaker's supporters) to accompany you. Strength in numbers!

Next week will include tips on how to have a good meeting!