NPR-A Plan Out for Public Comment

Posted on November 21, 2019January 17, 2020 by dawnwin_1obv1o

BLM announced it has initiated an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate a new Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) to determine the appropriate management of all BLM-managed public lands in the NPR-A. The agency has put forth four alternatives and is currently taking comments. The deadline for comments is January 21, 2020.

“The Trump administration announced a plan Thursday that could allow oil drilling on over three-quarters of the nation’s largest piece of unprotected wilderness, overhauling a 2013 plan that limited development on the Alaskan reserve.”

Read more here from the Washington Post and KTUU.

BLM has set up a comment period for the 2019 IAP/EIS. You can find more information here, including the Draft for review:

https://www.blm.gov/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/alaska/npr-a-iap-eis

Comments are due January 21, 2020.

Alaska Roadless Rule – Tongass

Posted on November 18, 2019December 3, 2019 by dawnwin_1obv1o

Upcoming Comment Deadline

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is seeking public comment on a draft environmental impact statement offering a range of alternatives to roadless management and a proposed Alaska Roadless Rule.

If adopted, the proposed rule would exempt the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 Roadless Rule. The USDA Forest Service will publish the documents in the Federal Register this week. The publication will begin a 60-day public comment period on the proposed rule, and on each alternative outlined in the draft environmental impact statement.

The public has until midnight on Dec. 16, 2019, to submit comments on the documents. Comments can be submitted the following ways:

Web: www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54511
Email: akroadlessrule@fs.fed.us
Mail: USDA Forest Service, Attn: Alaska Roadless Rule, P.O. Box 21628, Juneau, Alaska, 99802
Fax: 907-586-7852
In-person delivery to Forest Service, 709 W. 9^th Street, Room 535B, Juneau, Alaska 99801

For more information, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/roadmain/roadless/alaskaroadlessrule.

The Federal Register Notice is available here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/17/2019-22638/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation-national-forest-system-lands-in-alaska

Alaska Campaign Finance Victory

Posted on November 6, 2019November 17, 2019 by dawnwin_1obv1o

Sticker in snow reads "'Naligaaniktna!' I voted!"

APOC abused its discretion and “should reinstate enforcement of the contribution limits at issue.”

Campaign Finance

In Alaska, three citizens had filed Complaints against the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) for failing to enforce campaign contributions. The Superior Court concluded that APOC abused its discretion and “should reinstate enforcement of the contribution limits at issue.”

The Complaints alleged that two groups, Interior Voters for John Coghill (“Interior Voters”) and Working Families of Alaska (“Working Families”), had accepted monetary contributions that exceeded the limitations of AS 15.13.070. Interior Voters and Working Families are entities created to support particular candidates for political office and meet the definition of groups. They are generally what are considered PAC’s

There is a lot of history in the opinion about campaign contribution limits in Alaska. It also considers federal law, the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United, and how the State reacted to Citizens United. It is very likely this case will be appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court.

As Common Dreams reports, this could be a way around Citizens United and its impacts on campaign contribution limits.

Equal Citizens has the court’s opinion here.

AFN 2019

Posted on October 19, 2019November 18, 2019 by dawnwin_1obv1o

Alaska Federation of Natives Convention

Photo of AFN Convention — Panel presentation at AFN

This year, I was fortunate to attend the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Fairbanks, AK.

This year’s theme was “Good Government, Alaskan Driven.” The panels focused on the recent budget cycle, and the requirements under the Alaska Constitution to provide certain services to state citizens.

This included separate panels on public education, public health, and public welfare. There were a lot of good discussions about what services should provided and aren’t because of the cuts, and how this impacts Alaska Native communities throughout the State.

Quyana

Unfortunately, my schedule to this year’s convention was tough! I missed a connection in Seattle, and didn’t arrive until 7 am. I was able to have good conversations with colleagues and friends. And learned more from the different conversations to help clients in Alaska navigate the challenges ahead.

Photo of dance group at AFN in Fairbanks — Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers from Anaktuvuk Pass, AK

And was able to watch some of the dance groups at Quyana Alaska I the first night. Quyana is “thank you” in Yup’ik.

Find the conversations on social media with the hashtags:

#GOODGOVERNMENT

#ALASKANDRIVEN

#2019AFN