It had to happen sometime. Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) has been clamoring for an "Alaska Day" on the floor of the Senate for some time now, and it now appears that he may get his moment in the limelight. Tentative time agreements have been reached that would allow two of Murkowski's pet bills to be voted on, probably within the next two weeks. S.1092, the King Cove Health and Safety Act of 1997, would authorize a right-of-way (read: permanent gravel road) through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge on the Alaska Peninsula. Never before has Congress authorized the construction of a road in a congressionally-designated wilderness area. Meanwhile, S.660, the University of Alaska Land Conveyance, would force the federal government to surrender as much as 500,000 acres of public land in Alaska to the state university. The University would be able to carve out choice cuts from the Tongass and Chugach National Forests, the National Petroleum Reserve or coastal waters adjacent to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
S.1092 would authorize a 30-mile road connecting two remote Alaskan villages, King Cove and Cold Bay, whose combined population is under 1,000 people. Seven miles of that road would bisect the refuge, invading a congressionally-designated wilderness area and setting a clear precedent for later wilderness intrusions. The road authorization also contains waivers of all environmental laws, increasing the likelihood that such a construction project would damage valuable wildlife habitat. The Izembek Refuge is home to the world's entire population of Pacific Black Brant, as well as large numbers of emperor geese and the endangered Stellar's sea eider. In short, the area is the hub of bird traffic up and down the Pacific Flyway.
Proponents of S.1092 argue that a road is necessary to improve the safety of transportation between King Cove and Cold Bay. In reality, if improvements are indeed necessary to address health and safety concerns, a variety of more effective and less costly alternatives exist -- including marine transport, telemedicine, and improvements to onsite medical facilities -- that do not involve shattering the Izembek Refuge Wilderness. Cost estimates for the road range between $25-40 million, close to $1 million per mile. In contrast, an airport capable of landing a 747 would cost $16 million.
S.660, meanwhile, proposes a massive giveaway of up to 500,000 acres of federal lands in Alaska in order to produce revenues for the University of Alaska. Any lands selected, whether from the Tongass or Chugach National Forests, the National Petroleum Reserve or the waters adjacent to the Arctic Refuge, would be subject to intense development pressure. The University is under no mandate to manage for multiple use; instead, it could exploit its land for maximum financial return.
The impending votes on S.1092 and S.660 present us with a golden opportunity to send a resounding message to the Alaska Delegation and other foes of our public lands. These wilderness areas have a nation-wide constituency, and thus are not to be bulldozed, clearcut and milked for oil based on private demands. Please call your Senators and urge them to vote no on S.1092 and S.660.
(Source: Sierra Club Action Daily #11, April 21, 1998)
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org