July 14, 2014
ISSUE: The State of Alaska has initiated a process to remove fundamental protections from Alaska’s state wildlife refuges and other Special Areas-like the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge. Under Governor Parnell’s Administrative Order 266 (AO 266), these areas could be wide open to commercial, industrial, and other non-traditional uses without adequate public participation. Right now, ADF&G is rewriting the rules that govern our wildlife refuges, sanctuaries, and critical habitat areas without public and stakeholder participation. ADF&G also intends to remove Special Area-specific guidance, policies, and resource information that are “not enforceable”, which are valuable to biologists, permitters, managers, and other stakeholders.