|
Walker signs Herron’s Arctic policy bill
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
House Bill 1, establishing an Arctic policy for the state of Alaska, was signed into law May 11 by Gov. Bill Walker.
Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel, the bill’s sponsor and co-chair of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission, said it created the first comprehensive Arctic policy for the state.
In a statement, Herron thanked Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, co-chair of the commission, the other commissioners “and the many Alaskans that helped shape HB 1.” He said it was now up to the governor and administration, “working with the Legislature’s two Arctic committees, to use the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission’s Implementation Plan as a guide to executing Alaska’s Arctic policy.”
“The Arctic presents the best opportunities for Alaska’s future,” McGuire said in a statement. She introduced the companion bill, Senate Bill 16, and cited Herron and the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission’s work over the past two years for crafting the state’s first Arctic policy.
First of its kind “This legislation is significant because it is the first of its kind to define Alaska’s role in the rapidly changing Arctic,” the governor said in a statement.
“Our country is an Arctic nation because of Alaska. That is why it is absolutely critical that we have a seat at the table for Arctic development discussions,” Walker said.
The governor’s statement reflected the findings and intent of HB 1, which states that “the state is what makes the United States an Arctic nation” and goes on to say “the entirety of the state is affected by the activities and prosperity in the Arctic region, and conversely, the Arctic region is affected by the activities and prosperity in the other regions of the state.”
The bill says it is the intent of the Legislature that Arctic policy “be implemented through statutes and regulations” and “clearly communicate the interests of residents of the state to the federal government, the governments of other nations, and other international bodies developing policies related to the Arctic.”
AAPC recommendations The bill says it is the policy of the state of “uphold the state’s commitment to economically vibrant communities sustained by development activities consistent with the state’s responsibility for a healthy environment” and also says it is important “to support the strategic recommendations of the implementation plan developed by the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission” and to encourage consideration of AAPC recommendations to promote economic and resource development; address infrastructure and response capacity gap to support the Arctic region; support healthy communities; and support existing and foster new science and research that aligns with state priorities for the Arctic.
| 