No to Hatchery
Dear Editor: Let’s all imagine for just a moment that a private, “non-profit” hatchery based out of Juneau were attempting to build a hatchery right here in beautiful, downtown Sitka. Let’s also imagine that the selected location for this giant two-story complex were on the greenway in front of Crescent Harbor. Access to the harbor at times would be about impossible due to commercial fishing openings. Loud, incessant buzzing of generators and workforce would create maddening noise pollution, and the eye-sore of a “hatchery” would essentially negate all previous investments in aesthetics and existing structures, such as the bathrooms and covered picnic shelters. A walk along the new sidewalk that was recently built would be like walking in an industrial zone. If this were to ever happen, I would think just about everyone in town would be against it.
While this insanity seems too bizarre to be true, this is precisely what is happening right now at Baranof Warm Springs. A hatchery operating under the name of Sustainable Salmon Institute is in the final stages of securing permitting to build exactly this type of structure in Warm Springs Bay. If ADF&G issues this final permit, ground-breaking is scheduled for THIS SPRING, 2018.
The implications of this project are far-reaching, and if executed it would transform this peaceful bay into a congested, industrial hub. The public bath houses and picnic shelter – which were laboriously constructed by free local labor and funded by the City and Borough of Sitka – will be demolished. In their stead would lay a massive building, which would be home to some 50 workers. Water from the lake and river would be transported to the hatchery via large pipes. These pipes would snake through easements and forest along the trail to the lake, where they will siphon the crystal clear glacier fed water to the thirsty hatchery. As lake and river levels invariably drop with winter months, the increased water demands from the hatchery would jeopardize trout populations in the river possibly causing their destruction, residents could lose the cold-water supply to their cabins. There has been no stream gage studies of Baranof River since 1974 and I find this unbelievable since in recent years we have had no snow pack and our glaciers are melting at an alarming rate.
The Baranof River would become a trickle once the glaciers are gone.
I love this little community and 17 years ago decided to purchase land and build a cabin there. I bought my property knowing that the entire area was zoned recreational by the City of Sitka, and therefore would never be at risk of commercial and industrial developments such as this. The construction of this hatchery is not only a direct violation of zoning regulations, but it threatens the peace, sustainability and future usage of this Alaskan treasure for all who live and visit.
So, I urge you all to please, please, please present yourself at Centennial Hall this Friday night, Feb. 23, from 6 to 10 p.m. to voice your concerns and to protest this ludicrous plan. Additionally, letters to Commissioner Sam Cotten, Deputy Commissioner Charles Swanson and PNP coordinator Lorraine Versecci are essential in stopping this.
We only have until March 9 to comment. All letters can be mailed to ADFG, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau AK 99811.
Dan Evans, Sitka
AN OP-ED:
Alaska Ferry System
Needs Strong Support
By Gov. Bill Walker
and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott
For more than 50 years, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has served as a critical transportation link among Alaska’s coastal communities to Anchorage and to the Lower 48 and Canada. The marine highway system is a socio-economic lifeline for many of the 33 Alaska communities it serves, the majority of which are not connected to Alaska’s road system.
The impacts of the AMHS ripple throughout the state. According to a 2014 study, every dollar spent on the AMHS yields an economic impact return of over $2 dollars—a 2:1 investment for the state. AMHS employees hail from 44 communities in Alaska. And do you know where the top Alaska destination is for travelers on the ferry? Anchorage.
Alaskan communities rely on the ferries to go to doctors’ appointments, to visit family, to move groceries and goods to their communities. Many Alaskan school kids ride the ferries to get to basketball tournaments or special events. For these Alaskans, the AMHS is more than a transportation link – it’s an important part of life, and serves as a fundamental connection to the rest of Alaska.
In recent years, the AMHS has experienced rising costs, decreasing budgets, and reductions in service. Ferry users from around the state are expressing increasing concerns about service reductions and frequent schedule disruptions. The system’s aging fleet requires increased maintenance and potential vessel replacement. The state’s current fiscal challenge adds imperative to reexamine the system and the needs of those it serves. Separately, there is a current budget shortfall of almost $24 million for the AMHS for FY 17, which if not provided in a supplemental budget, will significantly reduce or halt service for many users of the system.
What are we doing to fix the system? In May 2016, Governor Walker signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Southeast Conference to engage in a statewide process examining the long-term viability of the AMHS. This movement was titled the AMHS Reform Project. During the past 18 months, this group has hosted a statewide summit, conducted interviews with key stakeholders, reviewed other ferry systems, and examined alternate governance models before publishing two reports with key findings and recommendations. One key recommendation from this group — beyond the need for stable funding — is the formation of a new, public corporation for the AMHS. This recommendation will be introduced as a bill during the current legislative session.
What can you do to help? We need your input and support as we move to protect the sustainability of the AMHS. We need your voices to express how important this system is to you and your communities. We need funding for the system now. Now is the time to engage and work to protect this vital system.
Over the years, numerous studies and surveys have been completed for Alaska and other jurisdictions with ferry systems. These studies have examined virtually all aspects of operations, and provide some insights and lessons for Alaska. We do not want the work of this group to be just another study – we want action and transformative change.
We must not be divided. Let’s build a ferry system that brings Alaska together as neighbors, and allows all coastal communities to grow and prosper socially and economically.
It’s time to work together to protect this important lifeline for Alaska communities. Let’s collaborate now to strengthen Alaska’s economy, vitality, and future.
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Gov. Bill Walker is an Alaskan businessman who owned a law firm focused on municipal law, and is the 11th governor of Alaska. Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott is a businessman, Tlingit and Haida clan leader, and Juneau resident.
