LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
F&G Advisers: Climate Emergency in Sitka
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka Fish & Game Advisory Committee adopted firm positions Wednesday, declaring a “climate change emergency” in the Sitka area, and opposing the plan to exempt the Tongass from the Roadless Rule.
The committee is a 17-member elected group which advocates for fish and wildlife users, from trollers and longliners to hunting guides and trappers.
“We make recommendations to the Board of Fish, the Board of Game,” said Chairman Jon Martin.
The vote on the climate change resolution was unanimous, and the Roadless Rule resolution was adopted with all “yes” votes and one abstention, Martin said.
Supporting their finding of a climate emergency in the Sitka area, the group cited ocean warming and acidification, drought and increased brown bear activity.
“The traditional, experimental, and scientific information and observations already presented to the SFGAC over the past year clearly tell the story of unprecedented ecological problems associated with climate change,” the committee report said.
After eight “whereas” clauses listing the many reasons for its climate change position, the committee concluded its formal resolution:
“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the SFCAG declares a ‘CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY’ in the Sitka area and requests the Sitka Assembly, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, local, regional, state, and national groups, the Board of Fish and Board of Game, the Alaska Legislature, Governor Dunleavy, and our congressional delegation to join us to recognize and take effective action needed to address this emergency.”
The resolution on the Roadless Rule referenced the U.S. Forest Service proposal to exempt the Tongass from the provisions of the 2001 national Roadless Rule. The public comment period now underway lists six alternatives, with Number Six, full exemption, as the Forest Service “preferred alternative.”
The SFGAC resolution supports the “No Action” alternative, which would keep the Roadless Rule in place.
“Given long-lasting, fiscally irresponsible, and environmentally damaging impacts of any reduction in current Roadless Rule protections on the Tongass,” the resolution states, “the Sitka Fish and Game Advisory Committee strongly supports lasting protection for all inventoried Roadless areas.”
Last Tuesday the Forest Service held a public meeting to explain the process now underway on the Roadless Rule, and to take public comment on the subsistence aspects of the alternatives. There was no testimony in favor of the Forest Service preferred alternative, and “No Action” was the one most supported by those who testified.
At its meeting the following day, the SFGAC adopted the resolution stating:
“Increased logging of old-growth forests in the existing Roadless areas of the Tongass would seriously impact the ability of the forest to provide these vital ecosystem services, such as clean water, clean air, stream temperature regulation, and healthy salmon and wildlife habitat.
“The (Forest Service) draft environmental impact statement does not sufficiently analyze the potential impacts to fish and wildlife populations or reductions in carbon sequestration and increased occurrence of climate-change driven events that would result from increased ground disturbance activities.”
While the Forest Service says none of the Roadless alternatives are expected to have a significant change to the commercial fishing or fish processing industries, the SFGAC resolution cites the adverse effects it said would result from Alternative Six.
“The economic livelihoods and subsistence harvesting of Sitka residents would be irreparably harmed by the effects of a full exemption from the Roadless Rule on the Tongass,” the resolution states.
Martin said many of the committee members are “concerned about their livelihoods, and the effects that clearcut logging and road building will have on fish streams, on deer habitat on opportunities for tourism, on opportunities for guides in Southeast Alaska.”
He concluded:
“There’s just generally a concern and we decided to take some action. And it is not consistent with what Governor Dunleavy or the congressional delegation has outlined, not consistent with what the Forest Service has put forth as their recommendation. But we don’t feel that we need to be consistent with the Forest Service, we need to make recommendations based on fish and wildlife resources and what’s good for the environment.”
Both of the advisory committee’s resolutions are available in full at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=196069.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.