The White House announced Sunday that President Obama would seek wilderness designation for much of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska/White House
President Obama, in a move certain to generate controversy, is pushing for the country's largest Wilderness designation to be bestowed on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Additionally, the Democrat wants four rivers -- the Atigun, Hulahula, Kongakut, and Marsh Fork Canning -- to be added to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Only Congress can designate Wilderness areas, and with the Republican Party in control of both the House and the Senate, and past interest from the energy sector for drilling in the wildlife refuge, the president's proposal likely could go nowhere.
Interior Department officials said Sunday that the department is releasing a conservation plan for the refuge that for the first time recommends additional protections, and that President Obama will make an official recommendation to Congress to designate core areas of the refuge ' including its Coastal Plain ' as wilderness, the highest level of protection available to public lands. If Congress chooses to act, it would be the largest ever wilderness designation since Congress passed the visionary Wilderness Act over 50 years ago.
'Designating vast areas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness reflects the significance this landscape holds for America and its wildlife,' said Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. 'Just like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of our nation's crown jewels and we have an obligation to preserve this spectacular place for generations to come.'
The president's decision builds upon years of public engagement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revise the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and complete an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as required by law. The plan will guide the Fish and Wildlife Service's management decisions for the next 15 years.
An Interior release said that, "(B)ased on the best available science and extensive public comment, the Service's preferred alternative recommends 12.28 million acres ' including the Coastal Plain ' for designation as wilderness. The Service also recommends four rivers ' the Atigun, Hulahula, Kongakut, and Marsh Fork Canning ' for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System."
Currently, more than 7 million acres of the refuge are managed as Wilderness, consistent with the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. However, more than 60 percent of the refuge ' including the Coastal Plain ' does not carry that designation.
Designation as wilderness would protect and preserve the refuge, ensuring the land and water would remain unimpaired for use and enjoyment by future generations. Only Congress has the authority to designate Wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Recommendations for Wilderness or Wild and Scenic River designations require approval of the Service Director, Secretary of the Interior, and the President. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Sunday released the revised comprehensive conservation plan and final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. While the Service is not soliciting further public comment on the revised plan/EIS, it will be available to the public for review for 30 days, after which, the record of decision will be published. At that point, the President will make the formal wilderness recommendation to Congress.
'The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge preserves a unique diversity of wildlife and habitat in a corner of America that is still wild and free,' said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. 'But it faces growing challenges that require a thoughtful and comprehensive management strategy. The incorporation of large portions of the refuge into the National Wilderness Preservation System will ensure we protect this outstanding landscape and its inhabitants for our children and generations that follow.'
The revised plan/EIS addresses a variety of issues, including the protection of wildlife populations and their habitats, opportunities for fish- and wildlife-dependent recreation, subsistence needs of local inhabitants, and other public uses. The plan also strengthens wildlife and habitat monitoring, as well as the monitoring of public use of the refuge so as to better respond to changing conditions on the landscape, particularly those associated with climate change.
The 19.8-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to the most diverse wildlife in the arctic, including caribou, polar bears, gray wolves, and muskoxen. More than 200 species of birds, 37 land mammal species, eight marine mammal species and 42 species of fish call the vast refuge home. Lagoons, beaches, saltmarshes, tundra and forests make up the remote and undisturbed wild area that spans five distinct ecological regions.
The refuge holds special meaning to Alaska Natives, having sustained their lives and culture for thousands of years. The Gwich'in people refer to the Coastal Plain of the refuge as 'The Sacred Place Where Life Begins,' reflecting the area's importance to their community, maintaining healthy herds of caribou and an abundance of other wildlife.
Comments
A bit more on fracking:
"In 2005, at the urging of Vice President Cheney, fracking fluids were exempted from the Clean Water Act after the companies that own the patents on the process raised concerns about disclosing proprietary formulas - if they had to meet the Act's standards they would have to reveal the chemical composition which competitors could then steal. Fair enough, but this also exempts these companies from having to meet the strict regulations that protect the nation's freshwater supply.
This was a sweetheart political deal and it probably doesn't surprise you that the the Vice President's former employer Halliburton is one of the largest players in providing hydraulic fracturing services to gas companies."
Personally, I don't want to be able to light my tap water.
You don't need fracking to do that. Methane naturally occurs in water all over the country and has done so well before fracking was ever invented.
Yet the EPA has found no evidence of water contaminated by fracking. But then, lets not let the facts get in the way. Oh and in fact, those companies are disclosing their chemicals. Its a requirement here in Colorado.
BTW how about that source on Cheney's home. And why don't you send that tainted oil money to Kurt. He deserves it for putting up with us.
EC, if all you got from that article was that 'only' 160 people died, than your opinion suits you.
I didn't get that from the article. That fact didn't fit the article's narrative so it wasn't included. The style is all too common. Find a sob story and pretend that is the norm. Pick annecdotal evidence of mal, mis or non feasance and try to paint an entire industry/party/company with that "evidence". Totally ignore the broader perspective and benefits that accrue.
I have full sympathy for the families of those that have died or been hurt. I condemn mal,mis, or non feasance when it occurs and would encourage that all be done that can to correct those. But I also recognize the massive contribution that oil/gas drilling has made to our country and our life style. I realize in the full scope of things, the lives lost and "damage" done is miniscule compared to the good provided both in absolute terms and relative to other activities.
You sit on your high horse and criticize the industry as you drive your car, heat your home with gas/oil/coal, use plastics derived from petroleum products or like Rick, collect your checks generated from oil royalties.
Hmmm, still using Haliburton and Dick Cheney for your poster boys? I know you are fair and balanced, Rick B so could you throw in some possible candidates for this the most pristine, ethical and truthful administration? You could use the same argument asking who wants all those windmills and miles of solar pannels clubbing and incinerating birds and desert tortoises on their street. Fair and balanced, yep:).
The whole thing about protecting land from oil extraction is a joke. When the rest of the world will run out of oil, politicians will change their tune and will go allow extraction wherever it happens to .be. We should be realistic and replace protect by defer. A Wilderness designation will only defer the exploration, that's it.
I'd be interested in learning what kind of land use will be banned as a result. Are people snowmobiling through the area (thinking of the trapper in "Mountain Men" series)?
There are others cheering the new POTUS action: Those that want $6 a gallon at the pump prices. Every terrorist country including Iran that are dependent on Petro dollars to support their worldwide efforts. Putin's Russia could be in that group. Everyone else that also wants the US in decline whether they have sinister plans or just feel ingratitude toward what's been an all to easy atmosphere to whine about simply everything. Guess you could include those that were complaining about the unseen numbers before of visitors at some National Parks between last Christmas and New Years apparently caused by much cheaper travel expenses for mainly, US residents. Those bemoaning that fact should take solace that with the strengthening Dollar, particularly against the Euro, there probably will be far less European visitors that love our parks, the Western Parks in particular. Not to suggest this Admin does anything while having ulterior motives, there does seem to be a pattern. Just suggesting that the big picture is not as rosy as we'd like to think. For all the affection he's shown toward ANWAR maybe we'll see it replacing Martha's Vineyard for POTUS vacations if only the tax payers would build a golf course to accomodate:).
On FRACKING affecting aquifers:
Fracking's threat to drinking water is getting little EPA scrutiny, studies find
From the report itself, mildly titled "DRINKING WATER: EPA Program to Protect Underground Sources from Injection of Fluids Associated with Oil and Gas Production Needs Improvement":