Last week I was appointed to the Alaska Northern Waters Task Force. The Legislature created the Task Force this past session in recognition of the urgent need to develop a comprehensive plan for the management of our Arctic waters and Alaska’s surrounding coastal region. The loss of perennial sea ice is presenting our state with serious new challenges and forcing a comprehensive review of fundamental policies in the area of habitat management, resource development, marine navigation, economic development and even national security. The 11-member Task Force brings together local, state and federal officials in an effort to identify mutual areas of concern and our principal task is to investigate the feasibility of creating a joint commission for coordinating U.S. and Alaskan interests in northern waters.
The first task force meeting has been scheduled for Oct 1st in Anchorage. I fully expect that we will have hearings in a number of the most directly impacted coastal communities, to include Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome, Bethel and Unalaska. Task Force recommendations are due to the legislature by Jan. 20, 2012.
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