Final Report to CACFA
Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Federal Areas Charles Lean, Chairman 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1400 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Governor Bill Walker Senator Pete Kelly Rep. Bryce Edgmon State of Alaska Senate President Speaker of the House P.O. Box 110001 State Capitol, Rm 111 State Capitol, Rm 208 Juneau, Alaska 99811 Juneau, Alaska 99801 Juneau, Alaska 99801 TRANSMITTAL LETTER Dear Sirs: The Citizens Advisory Commission on Federal Areas (CACFA) and the Alaska State Lands Advisory Group (ASLAG) recommend the State of Alaska submit the attached petition to the President and Congress on restructuring ownership and management of federal lands in Alaska to continue maintaining the environment and biodiversity, allow public access to public resources as guaranteed by Congress, and bolster economic development. At CACFA’s direction, ASLAG was empaneled to review the federal-state relationship regarding public land management, and the transfer of public lands from federal control, management, or ownership to the state. This is an active topic of keen interest across the country, especially in western states with disproportionately large federal land holdings, and has unique implications for the last frontier of Alaska. Alaska’s federal public lands are a patchwork of conflicting management philosophies and objectives. As such, goals of conservation, development, wildlife abundance, biodiversity and fire prevention, access to resources and state and private inholdings, and enjoyment by individuals are poorly met. Alaskans’ freedoms have eroded and must be restored. The sovereignty other states enjoy over public land use decisions does not exist in Alaska. Promises made in unique, milestone laws – e.g., our Statehood Compact, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act – have been ignored, overwritten by federal policy and regulation, or left unfulfilled as budgets were cut or conditioned.
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