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Alaska coastal plan changes accepted by NOAA Gov. Murkowski says state’s right to manage resources recognized by feds; coastal districts get additional six months for plans Kristen Nelson Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief
It appears to be a win-win for Alaska and its coastal districts: the federal government has backed off on requiring policy changes in the state’s amended coastal zone plan and Gov. Frank Murkowski says he will work with the Legislature to give the coastal districts an additional six months to submit their plan revisions.
The U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in an April 14 letter to Alaska Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin that agreement has been reached “on the steps necessary for NOAA to make a preliminary approval decision prior to July 1, 2005.”
NOAA requires a public hearing on the amendment before it can make a preliminary approval decision, the agency said, and the Department of Natural Resources has scheduled that hearing for May 20.
The governor said in an April 18 statement that he applauded the recognition of federal coastal managers of Alaska’s right to manage development of its coastal areas through the Alaska Coastal Management Program. Standoff began in January The Legislature revised the program in 2003, simplifying it, and the state then worked with NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management to develop an amended program. Talks proceeded constructively until January, the governor said earlier this year, with the federal agency identifying minor changes the state needed to make.
Then in late January the agency denied the state’s amended ACMP. In a Feb. 23 letter the governor said if the agency “does not immediately abandon the new requirements” in its Jan. 28 decision, that the ACMP would expire this summer.
“Alaskans have a wealth of knowledge about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to responsible development of our vast resources lying within our coastal regions,” the governor said in an April 18 statement. “We took a tough stance, but it was necessary to get federal coastal managers to recognize our expertise and ability to manage development. That recognition represents a victory for our environment, our economy, our coastal communities and our state as a whole.”
The governor said NOAA modified its positions and identified a few technical amendments necessary for the state plan to receive preliminary approval. Final approval of the plan is expected by year-end.
The technical amendments provide for public hearings, allow the state to designate subsistence use areas and adopt state regulations regarding a federal test of the effects of federal agency actions on a state use of resource.
The governor said he has directed the Department of Natural Resources to work with the Legislature to give coastal district representatives an additional six months to prepare and submit revised management plans.
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