Rally Against SB21
Dear Editor: Please join a group of concerned citizens on Thursday at noon at the Crescent Harbor Shelter to rally and show support against the passage of SB21, the ‘‘Oil Tax Giveaway.’’ You should be outraged that we have 11 state senators who are willing to approve a bill that will result in reduced revenues and a state budget that even though providing less for education and infrastructure will still require the state to ‘‘dip’’ into our reserves to even meet those minimum needs, while providing more benefits for the big oil companies, that are the most profitable companies on earth, for which we (the state) receive no commitment whatsoever for any increase in production fo any kind.
Remember, the oil belongs to us, the citizens of Alaska
Jack Ozment, Sitka
Salvage Archaeology
Dear Editor: What is it like to do “salvage archaeology” at a building site in downtown Sitka? When you are 76 years old and ought to know better.
Well, folks, it is fun. Lots of fun. And full of suspense. What might be found? What might it tell us about our shared histories? A pencil from the old Territorial School built in 1926? A brick, a nail, a tarred roof tile from the old Russian Hospital built in 1843 and burned in 1882? Maybe a stone tool from the fine beach just below? A bit of 19th century glass, ceramic, porcelain?
Why am I so addicted to this crazy hobby? It has been so cold, so muddy, and scary, too. There hangs over the site the ominous shadow of disapproval of “real, traditional archaeologists” who of course would never bother to dig in an area which contains “already disturbed dirt.” “Never” – as if it was contaminated with disease microbes about to attack and devour.
Admittedly, a bit of terror does exist - of finding a bit of bone and having layers and layers of Regulations bear down on you, squishing the fun right back down into the dirt. A cow bone, a deer femur, a dog rib sometimes emerges. A human skull would stop everything, with good reason. But hopefully few hominids were buried or cremated this close to the beach.
Oh, yes, I suffered the agony of seeing truckloads of artifact-bearing dirt pulling out to be dumped somewhere, somewhere allocated for sorting and recycling dirt to be reused somewhere else, confusing fragments of history further. Or – a different perspective – adding yet another layer of mystery to the future.
So far since November 26, 2012, a total of 96 plastic baggies of stuff have been retrieved, with the day of “discovery” recorded on each bag. A huge mound remains to be explored. It is fenced, and all the artifacts found belong to the citizens of Sitka.
And now a real archaeologist, Anne Pollnow, has volunteered to lead a salvage dig on Sundays. Hoorah!
Anne is president of the Alaska Historical Preservation Commission. She knows the regulations, she owns her own company, Sea Level Consulting, and she really knows archaeology. Further, she is willing to work with already disturbed dirt. And teach the rest of us how to do it.
The city has prepared a release form for the privilege of working in the specified, fenced area, on Sunday, five persons at a time. If the time slots are filled, come by and watch how it is done, and join the fun of guessing about what is uncovered.
Rich reference resources abound relative to the Pacific High site on Lincoln Street: The National Park Service published works and archives about what was found right next door, just over the fence. The documentation of what was discovered on Castle Hill is on line - thousands and thousands of artifacts for comparison.
Finding artifacts is only a small, beginning part of a complex, interesting process. Washing, listing, drawing, photographing, identifying and comparing awaits attention in the future.
Also, Sitka is rich in living resources. Our citizens include at least three retired curators, numerous trained workers from previous digs, and long time residents with decades of knowledge and experience to draw on.
What a wonderful opportunity for Sitkans to experience first hand what is involved in A Dig. Thank you, National Park Service, for lending the screens, and funding many valuable studies, archives and publications in the past. Thank you, State of Alaska , Office of History and Archaeology for the extensive Castle Hill research. State Archaeologist Dave McMahan recently identified surface material on The Mound at Pacific High as including mid to late 19th century material. Thanks, too, to David Garcia and Team with Sunland Development Co., LLC, for their interest and artifacts contributed to the collection. And thank you City of Sitka for permission to explore a specific area and for preparing a Release Form for volunteers on this city property on Sundays.
Finally, I personally thank Anne Pollnow for volunteering her expertise to the Project, Salvage Archaeology of The Mound of Mysteries, at the new Pacific High School site.
We are linked across the city through our histories. The artifacts link us further, internationally, so much yet to be learned.
Call Anne Pollnow, 738-0794, to get on the volunteer list. It is great fun!
Nancy Yaw Davis, Sitka
SB21 Rally Thursday
Dear Editor: Recently, the Alaska Senate approved SB21, a massive tax cut for the oil industry. The bill will cost the state billions of dollars over the next decade and will especially impact rural communities like Sitka, that are most dependent on state funds. For an excellent analysis of why SB21 should not have passed, see Sen. Bert Stedman’s website: http://bertstedman.com/new/
While supporters claim that the tax cut will eventually lead to greater oil production, even a leading supporter of SB21, Sen. Kevin Meyer, acknowledges that the economic benefits to the state are uncertain at best: “It’s kind of a crapshoot. You really don’t know, and the industry certainly isn’t going to say one way or the other, because you know their motivation is to try to keep the rates down as low as they can.” (Sen. Kevin Meyer, Juneau Empire, March 15, 2013).
Why are elected officials like Kevin Meyer so eager to kowtow to the oil industry? The oil and gas industry contributed over $167,000 to candidates for state office in Alaska in 2012 alone, including $3,340 to Sen. Meyer. Gov. Sean Parnell, who initiated the change in Alaska’s oil tax structure, has received over $75,000 in political contributions from the oil and gas industry (http://www.followthemoney.org). Once again democracy is the major casualty of corporate interference in the electoral and legislative process.
Oil industry allies in the state House are hoping to give oil companies even bigger tax cuts than the Senate was willing to adopt. Sitkans who want to express their opposition to tax breaks for oil corporations at a time when public schools and other public services are facing cuts in funding are invited to participate in a rally to protest SB 21, Thursday, April 4, noon-12:30 p.m., at Crescent Harbor Shelter. The Sitka rally will be held in conjunction with rallies around the state. For more information, contact Ray Friedlander at 747-7509.
Cindy Litman, Sitka
Forage Fish Fishery
Dear Editor: Let me start by saying that I’ve been a commercial fisherman my whole life, and that if given the opportunity, will always vote to fish.
Wikipedia states: ‘‘Forage fish, also known as prey fish or bait fish, are small pelagic fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. They include particularly fishes of the family clupeidae (herrings, sardines, anchovies).’’ Here in Alaska, we have the benefit of having a large enough population of these forage fish to harvest them commercially, and still maintain sustainability.
In the years past, it’s been the burden of the ADF&G not to exceed the guideline harvest level. Recently though, this issue has become just the opposite. The ADF&G Board of Fisheries’ main role is to conserve and develop the fishery resource of the state. This involves setting seasons, bag limits, methods and means for the states fisheries, including commercial. The board is charged with making allocative decisions, and the department is responsible for management based on those decisions. The members of the board are appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the legislator.
I believe through observing the recent trends of herring, that we should approach this resource with caution. A reasonable hard quota cap should be put in place. The model used to compute the GHL should be reviewed (just as the IPHC was forced to do), and possibly more research should go into monitoring natural occurrences such as disease, water temps, etc.
I encourage everyone with a concern or idea to contact Gov. Sean Parnell. Maybe we can come up with some good ideas of proposed changes that will ultimately benefit everyone. Mr. Parnell states that, ‘‘I welcome all comments, concerns, ideas and questions.’’ His contact can be found at www.gov.state.ak.us/.
Jeff Blankenship, Sitka
