DOCSLIB.ORG

Public Comment Summary, Discussion, and Recommendation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Public Comment Summary, Discussion, and Recommendation Public Comment Summary, Discussion, and Recommendation on the Proposed Repeal of 5 AAC 95.310 Repeal of the Prohibition of Personal Watercraft in the Kachemak Bay/Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Areas The department received 2,723 comments from some 1,270 individuals and organizations, including petitions and letters with multiple signatures, on the proposed regulation to repeal the prohibition of personal watercraft (PWC) use in the Kachemak Bay and Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Areas during the open public comment period. 1,005 commenters opposed repealing the regulation, and 1,677 individuals supported a repeal. 41 comments were either for some compromise, inconclusive, or commenting on the process or something unrelated. Additionally, some 42 comments were submitted after the public comment period ended, including two petitions. Key points of those opposed to repealing the ban included concerns about increased pollution, disturbance to wildlife and other people, and habitat damage. Some comments stated that PWC use is incompatible with local values and traditional uses, such as wildlife viewing and solitude. Numerous commentators stated that they believe PWC use would harm the economic viability of established businesses, such as wildlife tour operations, lodges, and kayaking and hiking guides. Some comments expressed concern regarding the danger operating a PWC poses to the operator and potential danger to other craft. Other people commented that PWC use is incompatible with the special designations of Kachemak Bay as a critical habitat area, state park, state wilderness park, and national estuarine research reserve, as well as the fact that this area is within the Western Shorebird Reserve Network. Many comments stated that PWCs are “thrillcraft”, not utilitarian, i.e. used for fishing or to go from point “A” to point “B” but rather are used to “spin circles and jump wakes.” Many comments were concerned with PWCs speeds and maneuverability and their perceived ability to travel in shallower waters. And one comment stated that repealing the ban may harm the Lesser Sandhill Cranes that migrate to an area near her home in Sacramento, California. Key points of supporters of repealing the ban include comments that PWC pose no significant risk to the habitat or wildlife and that the majority of late model PWCs now have 4 stroke motors and comply with the 2001 EPA emissions standards. Other comments state that the science is inconclusive, and no scientific studies have ever been carried out on PWCs in a northern subarctic marine environment. Many commenters say repealing the ban will provide increased access to publicly owned areas. Other comments said PWCs are registered boats and subject to the same regulations as any other boats, and there are other laws in place to protect wildlife (e.g., Marine Mammal Protection Act). Other comments claim that that the thousands of other boats including cruise ships and the Alaska Marine Highway that use Kachemak Bay may cause more wildlife disturbance than the relatively few PWC that would be anticipated to operate within the special areas if the ban were to be repealed, and that PWC use will likely never be very high because of the harsh environmental conditions. Several commenters stated that they do not use their PWC as "thrill" craft, but as a basic means of transportation and for utility purposes like fishing or wildlife viewing. Other comments stated that lifting this prohibition could help the economy by bringing more visitors to the surrounding communities. Discussion and Recommendation The limited scientific studies on PWC use are inconclusive, and none apply directly to a northern marine environment like Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat Area. Former reviews of literature speak to behaviors of users and potential impacts of PWC, not documented impacts. It is important to note that in 2014, Governor Sean Parnell signed a bill into law that removed the Port and Harbor of Homer from the critical habitat area therefore 5AAC 95.310 doesn’t apply there. Throughout this discussion, from the original proposal and recurring in each iteration, there has been the acknowledgment that scientific data is limited, findings have been contradictive, and none have been carried out in a marine environment comparable to Kachemak Bay. There have been multiple references to the opinion of “many biologists and resource managers” and there have been many references to “potential” for damage to habitat. Most often comments supporting maintaining the ban have cited the PWCs ability for high speed, quick maneuverability, and ease of access in shallow waters that they believe could impact the habitat crucial for the perpetuation of fish and wildlife. Those same abilities can be attributed to other non-PWC watercraft. PWCs ability to travel in the shallow water is another concern for potential impacts, but it is important to note that although a PWCs jet drive potentially allows it to operate in shallow water, it’s still a fiberglass hull and one that could be easily damaged contacting rocks and obstacles even at a modest speed. There are however numerous jetboat models designed expressly to travel in shallow waters, at speed in excess of 50 mph including the SJX Jetboats and the Skinny Water compact jet boats to name a few, that are highly maneuverable, able to operate at high speeds, and have aluminum hulls, sometimes coated in K5 Polyurea intended to make them “slide” over rocks and obstacles. Granted these are generally used as river boats but they are not currently excluded from the critical habitat area and can be used there. In the marine environment numerous jet driven bow pickers routinely enter shallow waters during commercial fishing operations. Earlier discussions in this process recognized that the PWC industry was evolving. Today there are models designed for utilitarian purposes like fishing and touring. Most PWCs are now 4 stroke and much quieter than the models proceeding them. It is important to note that the U.S. Coast Guard defines a PWC as a “craft which is less than 16 feet in length and designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing or kneeling on the craft rather than within the confines of a hull.” One recent new PWC development is the Sea-Doo Cart, which is the same sized hull, same size engine, jet drive yet the driver sits “inside” the hull. Because this design likely excludes this vessel as a PWC, by definition, it could currently be legally operated in the area. The Kachemak Bay and Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Areas were established to protect and preserve habitat areas especially crucial to the perpetuation of fish and wildlife, and to restrict all other uses not compatible with that primary purpose. The department seriously considers proposals for activities within these areas, specifically regarding how activities may affect important habitat values; 5 AAC 95.310, the ban on personnel watercraft, is an overburdensome regulation not supported by any scientific studies that have documented impacts to Kachemak Bay or similar environments and a key part of our stated mission is to improve access to the Critical Habitat Area for fishing, hunting, recreating, and wildlife viewing. Because of the lack of conclusive scientific data specific to PWCs in similar environments, the evolution of emissions and noise reduction, and the advancements of other watercraft blurring the lines of a PWC, there appears to be no difference between the use of PWC and other watercraft regarding the potential impacts to habitat within these special areas. Therefore, repeal of the prohibition of PWCs is justified. During the current the Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat Management Plan revision effort, additional policies could be developed to manage boating activities with more continuity to protect the habitat with no wake zones, exclusion areas, and other policies applicable to all watercraft, in areas determined to be potentially sensitive to the operation of watercraft. Folder Commenter Comment Commissioner's Office Response To Comment 1 Friends of Dear Mr.Green Commissioner and assistant to the commisssioner both read and Kachemak Bay Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park opposes the lifting of the Personal Water Craft (PWC) ban in Kachemak Bay. considered comment in final decision. State Park We have heard arguments for and against PWCs for the last 20 years and there has been no new information that has changed our view that PWCs disturb wildlife and upset the general Park experience. We understand that you have received many letters and emails in strong opposition to the lifting of the ban. There is little more that we can add. Please register our voices in the "NO” column. Respectfully, Mako Haggerty, chair Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park is a local non-profit whose mission includes educating Park visitors and supporting Park volunteers. Our current membership stands at 107. 1 Audubon Alaska See message: Audubon Alaska comments on proposed repeal of 5 AAC 95.310.msg in PWC1 Commissioner and assistant to the commisssioner both read and considered comment in final decision. 1 Center for January 21, 2020 Commissioner and assistant to the commisssioner both read and Alaskan Coastal To: Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang, Alaska Department of Fish and Game considered comment in final decision. Studies Cc: Rick Green, Alaska Department of Fish and Game On behalf of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS), I am writing in opposition to any change to 5 AAC 95.310, with regards to the prohibition of the use of personal watercraft in the Fox River Flats and Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat Areas (CHA). We strongly oppose any change that would allow personal watercraft use and management in this critically important habitat for marine life. CACS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting marine and coastal education and stewardship of Kachemak Bay through place-based ecology education.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Kenai Fjords Fact Sheet
    National Park Service Kenai Fjords U.S. Department of the Interior Kenai Fjords National Park www.nps.gov/KenaiFjords Fact Sheet Purpose Kenai Fjords was established to maintain unimpaired the scenic and environmental integrity of the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers and coastal fjords and islands in their natural state; and to protect seals, sea lions, other marine mammals, and marine and other birds and to maintain their hauling and breeding areas in their natural state, free of human activity which is disruptive to their natural processes. Established December 1, 1978 ....................... Designated as a National Monument by President Carter December 2, 1980 ....................... Designated as a National Park through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Size Legislative boundary................ 669,983 acres or ~ 1047 square miles Managed by NPS ...................... 603,130 acres or ~ 940 square miles Eligible Wilderness ................... 569,000 acres or ~ 889 square miles Visitation 303,000 recreation visits in 2017 Employment NPS Permanent Employees ..... 31 NPS Seasonal Employees ......... 50 NPS Volunteers ......................... 26 volunteers contributed 2,417 hours of service in 2017 Budget 2017 base appropriations $3.9 million Campground 12 campsites in the Exit Glacier area, with 2 wheelchair accessible sites. Campground is tent-only, and available on a first come, first serve basis. Vehicle camping is strictly prohibited. Backcountry camping is allowed throughout the park except within 500 feet of a public use cabin or within 1/8 mile of a road or trail at Exit Glacier. Public Use Cabins Aialik and Holgate: available for reservation during the summer months through Recreation.gov. Willow: available during winter months by contacting the park.
    [Show full text]
  • Seward Historic Preservation Plan
    City of Seward City Council Louis Bencardino - Mayor Margaret Anderson Marianna Keil David Crane Jerry King Darrell Deeter Bruce Siemenski Ronald A. Garzini, City Manager Seward Historic Preservation Commissioners Doug Capra Donna Kowalski Virginia Darling Faye Mulholland Jeanne Galvano Dan Seavey Glenn Hart Shannon Skibeness Mike Wiley Project Historian - Anne Castellina Community Development Department Kerry Martin, Director Rachel James - Planning Assistant Contracted assistance by: Margaret Branson Tim Sczawinski Madelyn Walker Funded by: The City of Seward and the Alaska Office of History and Archaeology Recommended by: Seward Historic Preservation Commission Resolution 96-02 Seward Planning and Zoning Commission Resolution 96-11 Adopted by: Seward City Council Resolution 96-133 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction......................................................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Plan ..............................................................................................................1 Method .................................................................................................................................2 Goals for Historic Preservation............................................................................................3 Community History and Character ..................................................................................................4 Community Resources...................................................................................................................20
    [Show full text]
  • Steve Mccutcheon Collection, B1990.014
    REFERENCE CODE: AkAMH REPOSITORY NAME: Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center Bob and Evangeline Atwood Alaska Resource Center 625 C Street Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-929-9235 Fax: 907-929-9233 Email: [email protected] Guide prepared by: Sara Piasecki, Archivist TITLE: Steve McCutcheon Collection COLLECTION NUMBER: B1990.014 OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Dates: circa 1890-1990 Extent: approximately 180 linear feet Language and Scripts: The collection is in English. Name of creator(s): Steve McCutcheon, P.S. Hunt, Sydney Laurence, Lomen Brothers, Don C. Knudsen, Dolores Roguszka, Phyllis Mithassel, Alyeska Pipeline Services Co., Frank Flavin, Jim Cacia, Randy Smith, Don Horter Administrative/Biographical History: Stephen Douglas McCutcheon was born in the small town of Cordova, AK, in 1911, just three years after the first city lots were sold at auction. In 1915, the family relocated to Anchorage, which was then just a tent city thrown up to house workers on the Alaska Railroad. McCutcheon began taking photographs as a young boy, but it wasn’t until he found himself in the small town of Curry, AK, working as a night roundhouse foreman for the railroad that he set out to teach himself the art and science of photography. As a Deputy U.S. Marshall in Valdez in 1940-1941, McCutcheon honed his skills as an evidential photographer; as assistant commissioner in the state’s new Dept. of Labor, McCutcheon documented the cannery industry in Unalaska. From 1942 to 1944, he worked as district manager for the federal Office of Price Administration in Fairbanks, taking photographs of trading stations, communities and residents of northern Alaska; he sent an album of these photos to Washington, D.C., “to show them,” he said, “that things that applied in the South 48 didn’t necessarily apply to Alaska.” 1 1 Emanuel, Richard P.
    [Show full text]
  • Exit Glacier Area Plan Environmental Assessment and General Management Plan Amendment
    Kenai Fjords National Park Exit Glacier Area Plan Environmental Assessment and General Management Plan Amendment May 2004 iîl/ rztsoy United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE K-cnai i-jords National Park P O Box 172? Seward, Alaska 9%64 L7617 (AKSO-RER) April 12, 2004 Dear Public Reviewer, Enclosed for your information and review is the environmental assessment (EA) for the Exit Glacier Area Plan in Kcnai Fjords National Park. The EA was completed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (40CFR 1508.9). The environmental assessment also is available for review at the following website: www.nps.gov/kefi/home.htm and click on Park Issues. Public comments on the environmental assessment will be accepted from May 3 to June 1, 2004. Written comments on the environmental assessment may be addressed to: Kenai Fjords National Park Attn: EG Plan P.O. Box 1727 Seward, Alaska 99664 Email: [email protected] Thank you for your interest in Kenai Fjords National Park. Anne Castellina Superintendent ) Exit Glacier Area Plan Environmental Assessment and General Management Plan Amendment Kenai Fjords National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Seward, AK M ay 2004 Exit Glacier Area Plan SUMMARY The National Park Service (NPS) developed this Exit Glacier Area Plan/ Environmental Assessment and General Management Plan Amendment to provide guidance on the management of the Exit Glacier area of Kenai Fjords National Park over the next 20 years. The approved plan will provide a framework for proactive decision making on such issues as natural and cultural resources, visitor use, and park development, which will allow park managers to effectively address future problems and opportunities.
    [Show full text]
  • Foundation Document Overview, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
    NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document Overview Kenai Fjords National Park Alaska Contact Information For more information about the Kenai Fjords National Park Foundation Document, contact: [email protected] or (907) 422-0500 or write to: Superintendent, Kenai Fjords National Park, P.O. Box 1727, Seward, AK 99664 Significance and Purpose Fundamental Resources and Values Significance statements express why Kenai Fjords National Park resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation. Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit. Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to merit primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. Icefields and Glaciers: Kenai Fjords National Park protects the Harding Icefield and its outflowing glaciers, where the maritime climate and mountainous topography result in the formation and persistence of glacier ice. The purpose of KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK • Icefields is to preserve the scenic and environmental • Climate Processes integrity of an interconnected icefield, glacier, • Exit Glacier and coastal fjord ecosystem. • Science & Education Fjords: Kenai Fjords National Park protects wild and scenic fjords that open to the Gulf of Alaska where rich currents meet glacial outwash to sustain an abundance of marine life.
    [Show full text]
  • 2030 Comprehensive Plan Seward, Alaska
    2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE VOLUME II CITY OF SEWARD Adopted: May 30, 2017 prepared by: PDC Engineers 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SEWARD, ALASKA Prepared For: The City of Seward, Alaska Prepared By: PDC Engineers Anchorage, Alaska Adopted By the City Council of the City of Seward May 30, 2017 by Resolution 2017-028 Adopted By the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly August 15, 2017 by Ordinance 2017-18 Introduced by: Mayor, Carpenter Date: 07/1 8/1 7 Hearing: 08/15/ 17 Action: Enacted as Amended Vote: 9 Yes, 0 No, 0 Absent KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH ORDINANCE 2017-18 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING KPB 2.56.050 TO ADOPT VOLUMES I AND II OF THE SEWARD 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AS THE OFFICIAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THAT PORTION OF THE BOROUGH WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF SEWARD WHEREAS, the Kenai Peninsula Borough provides for planning on an areawide basis in accordance with AS 29.40; and WHEREAS, m accordance with KPB 21.01.025(E), cities requesting extensive comprehensive plan amendments may recommend to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission a change to the comprehensive plan; and WHEREAS, with the completion of Volumes I and II of the Seward 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the City of Seward has prepared extensive comprehensive plan amendments for that area of the borough within the boundaries of the City of Seward; and WHEREAS, over the last two years the City of Seward Planning and Zoning Commission has held thirteen ( 13) public work sessions and meetings working on the updates; and WHEREAS, throughout the update process, members of
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska's Glaciers Are a Spectacular Force of Nature
    Glacier GRANDEUR Alaska’s glaciers are a spectacular force of nature By Eric Lucas patrick j. endres / alaskaphotographics.com Imagine a sheet of water the size of a small city. It’s made of long, winding ribbons, and broken tabs, of ice. Its cool-hue colors range from aluminum to cerulean. Immense forces cause it to flow down a narrow valley and fold over a small ridge just outside Juneau, Alaska, and finally crumble into a slushy lake. That’s the Mendenhall Glacier—one of the most visited glaciers in the United States— and I’m standing atop its lower end under an intense spring sun with freshets of water gushing past my feet. A glacier such as the Mendenhall is, in one sense, a geologic object—a monominer- alic rock, to cite a term sometimes used by glacier scientists. It’s also a 13-mile-long river of ice that’s actually moving downhill at a distinct rate, twisting and bending around stone mountains, gathering rock debris as it scrapes past. A glacier is com- posed of water, a malleable substance whose various phases—gas, liquid, solid— frans lanting / frans lanting stock are intrinsic to the shape of Earth’s land- the Barnard glacier (above), in Wrangell–st. elias national park, is striped with the debris scape. Since all forms of water can move, it accumulates as it flows down the mountain, merging with other, smaller glaciers. standing on a glacier with water running kayakers (previous spread) paddle the ice-laden waters of Barry arm in prince William sound, near the Barry, cascade and coxe glaciers.
    [Show full text]
  • This Is Now and That Was Then Stories That Weave Through the Eastern Kenai Peninsula
    THIS IS NOW AND THAT WAS THEN STORIES THAT WEAVE THROUGH THE EASTERN KENAI PENINSULA Seward Community Library: lma 1.1271 TEACHER’S GUIDE AND LESSONS VIDEO EPISODES CAN BE VIEWED AT kmtacorridor.org Every Place has a name… Every Name has a story. This booklet is the companion guide to the This Is Now And That Was Then film series. This series can be viewed at…. kmtacorridor.org This Is Now and That Was Then is a series of 12 short episodes highlighting the colorful history of the Kenai Mountains Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area of Alaska. Each episode focuses upon a landmark, presents how the feature got its name, and then transitions to a broader story about the history of the region. The historical and geological contexts range from the indigenous people who first lived on the Kenai to the 1964 Earthquake. This guide will help the educator integrate these episodes into their classroom. So come along with Rachael, Matt, and Brooke as they guide your students on a trip through the Eastern Kenai Peninsula and discover why this region was the first in Alaska to be designated a National Historic Area. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EPISODE DESCRIPTION Pg 4 1- Mount Alice 2- Resurrection Bay 3- Mount Marathon Pg 5 4- Exit Glacier 5- Victor Creek 6- Moose Pass Pg 6 7- Tern Lake 8- Kenai Lake 9- Canyon Creek Pg 7 10- Hope 11- Turnagain Arm 12- Portage LESSONS Pg 8 Find the Name Pg 9-11 Interpreting Maps Pgs 12-13 Building a Timeline Pgs 14-16 The Story Within a Photo Pgs 17-18 Photo (Re) Search PHOTO ACCURACY Pg 19 Accuracy of Photos in Episodes 3 This Is Now and That Was Then Programs can be viewed at: kmtacorridor.org PROGRAM DESCRIPTION MOUNT ALICE/MT EVA Duration: 10:04 1 Era: (1884-1903) Founding of Seward Name Origin: Alice and Eva were daughters of Resurrection Bay homesteaders Frank and Mary Lowell.
    [Show full text]
  • Kachemak Bay Research Reserve: a Unit of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System
    Kachemak Bay Ecological Characterization A Site Profile of the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve: A Unit of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Compiled by Carmen Field and Coowe Walker Kachemak Bay Research Reserve Homer, Alaska Published by the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve Homer, Alaska 2003 Kachemak Bay Research Reserve Site Profile Contents Section Page Number About this document………………………………………………………………………………………………………… .4 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Introduction to the Reserve ……………………………………………………………………………………………..5 Physical Environment Climate…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Ocean and Coasts…………………………………………………………………………………..11 Geomorphology and Soils……………………………………………………………………...17 Hydrology and Water Quality………………………………………………………………. 23 Marine Environment Introduction to Marine Environment……………………………………………………. 27 Intertidal Overview………………………………………………………………………………. 30 Tidal Salt Marshes………………………………………………………………………………….32 Mudflats and Beaches………………………………………………………………………… ….37 Sand, Gravel and Cobble Beaches………………………………………………………. .40 Rocky Intertidal……………………………………………………………………………………. 43 Eelgrass Beds………………………………………………………………………………………… 46 Subtidal Overview………………………………………………………………………………… 49 Midwater Communities…………………………………………………………………………. 51 Shell debris communities…………………………………………………………………….. 53 Subtidal soft bottom communities………………………………………………………. 54 Kelp Forests…………………………………………………….…………………………………….59 Terrestrial Environment…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 61 Human Dimension Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………….
    [Show full text]
  • Visiting Seward 2020
    VISITING SEWARD 2020 MUST DO’S IN SEWARD KAYAKING, HIKING & GLACIER CRUISE TOURS Whether you’re a first-time adventurer, or a seasoned explorer, there are many options for exploring Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Half-day, full-day and multi-day kayaking, kayak & hike combos, and kayak & cruise combos. Sunny Cove Kayaking, www.sunnycove.com, 1.907.224.4426 WILDLIFE & GLACIER CRUISES Explore Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park while listening to naturalist narration aboard a comfortable tour boat. Adventures into Northwestern Fjord, and Aialik Bay are available daily. Watch for whales, orcas, seals, puffins, eagles, sea lions and more! Kenai Fjords Tours, www.kenaifjords.com, 1.907.224.8068 Prefer a small boat option? View Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park with the naturalist captains of Seward Ocean Excursions. Seward Ocean Excursions, www.sewardoceanexcursions.com, 1.907.599.0499 DOG SLEDDING TOURS Visit the dog camps of Iditarod racers and learn more about ‘The Last Great Race.’ Options include a kennel tour and a dog sled ride, or for the ultimate adventure, choose the helicopter dog sledding tour on Godwin Glacier. Turning Heads Kennel, www.turningheadskennel.com, 1.907.362.4354 Seavey’s Ididaride, www.ididaride.com, 1.907.224.8607 HIKING Seward is home to a multitude of hiking trails, from easy beach walks and rainforest trails to quad burning climbs to mountain ridges and glacier overviews. • Harding Icefield Trail • Exit Glacier Trail • Tonsina Point Trail • Mount Marathon Trail 4 FLIGHT SEEING We always recommend getting in the air while visiting Seward. Alaska is a huge state, and your perspective will change when you see our majestic mountains, glaciers and fjords from the air.
    [Show full text]
  • Resurrection River Landscape Assessment Area
    United States Resurrection River Department of Agriculture Landscape Assessment Forest Service Seward Ranger District, October 2010 Chugach National Forest Exit Glacier, courtesy of Kenai Fjords National Park. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Landscape Assessment Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................................1 The Analysis Area ...........................................................................................................................................2
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 Update Table of Contents
    City of Homer All-Hazard Mitigation Plan 2018 Update Table of Contents I. Introduction…………………………………………. 1 A. Purpose of the Plan………………………………. 1 B. Methodology……………………………………... 2 C. Homer Background…………………………….... 3 II. Planning Process…………………………………….. 6 III. Hazard Profiles…………………………..………….. 9 A. Hazard Criteria……………. ……………….. 10 B. Flood Profiles……………………………… . 12 C. Wildland Fires………………………………. 14 D. Weather............................................................. 18 E. Landslides…………………………………. 22 F. Coastal Erosion ……………………………. 24 G. Earthquake………………………………… .. 26 H. Tsunamis…………………………………….. 31 I. Volcanoes…………………………………… 34 J. Man-Made/Technological Disasters………… 38 IV. Risk Analysis ……………………………..………… 39 Risk Assessment Summaries…………………. 45 Economic Development Trends……………… 46 V. Mitigation Goals, Objectives and Action Items A. Mitigation Goals ……………………………… 48 B. Mitigation Actions ……………………………. 52 Appendices Works Cited…………………………………… 63 Chapter I – Introduction A. Purpose of the Plan: The purpose of the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan is to fulfill the FEMA requirement under The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Act), Section 322, Mitigation Planning enacted by Section 104 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA) (P.L. 106-390). In accordance with FEMA directives, the City of Homer All-Hazard Mitigation Plan originally adopted in July of 2004 must be updated and revised to reflect the current situation as determined by a review of the mitigation efforts completed under the existing plan and a review
    [Show full text]