Senate Opposes Listing Polar Bear as Threatened
Senate passes resolution urging other States to join

Juneau – The Senate passed a resolution today opposing a proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the polar bear as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

“It is important that we prevent listing the polar bear as threatened, not only because the designation is not clearly supported by science, but because it will be used as leverage to stop development projects across the country, including our own natural gas pipeline,” said Sen. Gary Wilken, R-Fairbanks.

Senate Resolution 6 was introduced by Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, on behalf of the five members of the Senate Republican Caucus. The full Senate approved the measure today by a vote of 12 to five. Because it is expressing a position of the Senate, the resolution does not need to go to the House for consideration.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Research Associate Professor Matt Cronin, Ph.D, agrees that an endangered species listing is inappropriate.

“Recent declines in sea ice and indications that polar bears in some areas may be negatively impacted are cause for concern, but in my opinion do not warrant designation of the species as threatened with extinction,” Cronin said. “I believe that consideration of multiple hypotheses regarding the future of sea ice and polar bear populations would provide better science than reliance on one extreme case hypothesis of loss of sea ice and associated drastic declines in polar bear populations.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing polar bears as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act in the Federal Register on Jan. 9, 2007. Comments in the federal process must be submitted by April 9, 2007.

Alaska Recognized for Innovation in Education
Sen. Con Bunde to accept award on State’s behalf

Juneau – The State of Alaska has been selected to receive the 2007 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation for demonstrated excellence in shaping education policy.

“I will be honored to accept this award on behalf of the State of Alaska from Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius at the National Forum on Education Policy in Philadelphia in July,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage. “I’m extremely pleased Alaska is being recognized for addressing the many challenges we have with education.”

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) created the award in 2005 in honor of the late Frank Newman, who served as ECS president for 14 years. Criteria for the award include: policies that are bold, courageous and nonpartisan, including new policies with the potential for large-scale impact, existing policies with evidence of continued support, and education improvement efforts that are replicable and hold valuable lessons for other states.

Alaska was recognized for innovative programs such as the statewide mentor project, the public school performance incentive program and the Alaska reading course.

Roderick G. W. Chu, Interim President of the Education Commission of the States, notified Gov. Sarah Palin that Alaska had been chosen for the award by letter March 26, 2007. Palin asked Sen. Bunde to accept the award in Philadelphia July 11, 2007. Kansas Gov. Sebelius is Chair of the Education Commission of the States.

Sen. Bunde is a life-long educator, was chairman of the House Special Committee on Education in 2001-2002, currently serves on the ECS steering committee, and was formerly ECS national vice president.

Resolution Opposes Listing Polar Bear as Threatened
Caucus Measure Asks All States to Join

Juneau – The Senate Republican Caucus will introduce a resolution tomorrow stating the Senate’s opposition to listing the polar bear as a threatened species, and encouraging the other 49 states to do so as well.

“We think listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act has serious consequences for the State of Alaska long-term. It potentially opens the State to numerous lawsuits from across the nation that could claim an activity increases green house gases, therefore impacting sea ice, therefore impacting polar bears, and result in a bottleneck for all kinds of projects,”  said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole.

“We believe the statement in this resolution dovetails well with the position of the previous and current administration,” Therriault said, citing letters from both administrations and written testimony of Tina Cunning, special assistant to the commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

According to University of Alaska Fairbanks Research Associate Professor Matt Cronin, the proposed rule to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act is based on model predictions of loss of most of the summer Arctic sea ice in the next 45 years.  This in turn is used to predict negative impacts on polar bears to the point where they decline in numbers enough to be considered threatened worldwide.  However these are selective, worst-case predictions and other scenarios are possible, Cronin said.

“We don’t know what the future ice conditions will be, as there is apparently considerable uncertainty in the sea ice models regarding the timing and extent of sea ice loss.  Also, polar bear populations are generally healthy and have increased worldwide over the last few decades.  Recent declines in sea ice and indications that polar bears in some areas may be negatively impacted are cause for concern, but in my opinion do not warrant designation of the species as threatened with extinction,” Cronin said.

“I believe that consideration of multiple hypotheses regarding the future of sea ice and polar bear populations would provide better science than reliance on one extreme case hypothesis of loss of sea ice and associated drastic declines in polar bear populations,” Cronin said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing polar bears as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act in the Federal Register on Jan. 9, 2007. Comments in the federal process must be submitted by April 9, 2007. The Senate Resolution, which has not yet been assigned a number, could be passed by a simple majority vote of the Senate, with no committee referrals.

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Sound Actualities can be downloaded from the following links:
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007032901a.mp3
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007032902a.mp3

Background documents can be downloaded from the following links:

Senate Resolution (number to be assigned)
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/senate_resolution_20070329.pdf
March 28, 2007 letter from Gov. Palin to Fort Yukon Mayor Jerry Carroll
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/letter_palin_to_carroll.pdf
Nov. 17, 2006 letter from Gov. Murkowski to Dale Hall, Director of the U.S.F&WS
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/letter_murkowski_to_hall.pdf
March 1, 2007 by Tina Cunning, special assistant to the Commissioner of Fish & Game
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/
25/tcunning_statement_to_f&gcommissioner.pdf
Dec. 18, 2006 letter from Gov. Palin to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/letter_palin_to_kempthorne.pdf

Committee Moves Bill to Increase K-12 Funding
Special Committee on Education moves Wilken’s SB 1

Juneau – A bill to increase K-12 education funding by $88.9 million moved from the Senate Special Committee on Education today.

“We’re getting to the point where we need to decide on a K-12 number. The governor’s number, while fully funding the formula, isn’t going to be sufficient. So, to whatever extent possible, I’d like to move the conversation, try to fund K-12 adequately, and get it done before we start getting into really big issues of gas line and closing out the budgets,” said Sen. Gary Wilken, R-Fairbanks.

The bill now goes to the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee.

A Fact Sheet for SB 1 is attached.
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/sb0001.pdf
A sound actuality can be downloaded from the following link:
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/wilken2007032801a.mp3

Senate Majority Defeats Amendment to SCR 4
Language supported tax-free contributions to health plans

Juneau – The Senate Majority defeated an amendment to a resolution today that would have encouraged Alaskans to take responsibility for their own health care, supported their ability to make tax-free contributions to a health plan, and recognized that insurance companies should be allowed to offer healthy lifestyle discounts.

“All this amendment does is add to this resolution what I consider to be classic Alaskan values and things that we would want to be considered, as folks come together for this very important discussion about where are we going individually and as a State with our health care,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, during debate on the Senate floor today.

Sen. Dyson offered the amendment to Senate Concurrent Resolution 4, which invites Alaskans to join the Alaska Health Compact. The amendment failed 14 to five, along strict caucus lines.

“Members of the Senate Republican minority were disappointed today that the majority coalition swept aside suggested language that offered support for the continuation of tax-free health savings accounts,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole. “We’re at a loss to explain why the coalition members would not encourage citizens to pursue healthy lifestyles in the State and voluntarily plan for health emergencies.”

“I want to make sure that we underscore that it is the responsibility of each individual to take responsibility for their health and/or paying for it. Each individual should be able to choose how they plan to pay for their health care,” Sen. Dyson said on the floor.

A Sound Actuality can be downloaded from the following link:
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007032801a.mp3