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Sarah Palin on Environment
Republican Governor (AK); 2008 nominee for Vice President
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1996: initial mayoral issue: Bike paths in Wasilla
Sarah realized that even in Wasilla she couldn't mount a viable campaign for Mayor as the candidate of only secessionists and religious extremists. She needed a link to a more established political organization.
The powerful right-wing Republican state senator from Wasilla, Lydia Green, provided it. Green offered her staff member as campaign manager.At their first meeting. Sarah said her main goal was to build more bike paths in the city.
That was it. No greater vision, and certainly no covert Christian extremist agenda. "Bike trails are my baby," Sarah said. No mention of any affiliation with the evangelical right.
During the campaign, ignoring the bike paths,
Sarah focused the secular aspects of her campaign on two issues: closing hours for local bars and liberalization of Alaska's already lenient gun laws.
Source: The Rogue, by Joe McGinniss, p. 58-61
, Sep 20, 2011
2007: Opposed listing polar bears as endangered species
She took time to oppose the listing of polar bears as an endangered species. "The polar bear has become a metaphor in the highly charged climate debate," she said. Her stance on the issue was clear: only snake oil
science suggested that man-made carbon emissions were responsible for global warning, not that she believed in global warming. In Sarah's mind, God managed the earth's climate and he'd done pretty darned good job up to now.
Source: The Rogue, by Joe McGinniss, p.228
, Sep 20, 2011
1996: Gave evangelical churches access to city parks
The first head to roll on the morning of her first day in office was that of John cooper the head of Museum and Recreation Services Cooper was suspended for being "progressive." To Sarah this meant he might use museum exhibits to contradict the version
of the history of the earth mankind and Wasilla preached by ministers at the Assembly of God and other right-wing evangelical churches in the valley. Having disposed of John Cooper, Sarah began to operate the city's parks herself. "One of the first
things she did," a former city employee told me in the summer of 2010, "was give the Assembly of God complete access to any park in the city to sing the gospel; and give out flyers. I received many calls from irate mothers who did not
want their young children exposed to this at a city park. And, of course at Christmas the parks department was instructed to set up a nativity scene in the park, along the Parks Highway coming into town."
Source: The Rogue, by Joe McGinniss, p. 90-92
, Sep 20, 2011
In Alaska, Mother Nature wins
In her final speech as governor, on July 26, 2009, she threw a verbal bouquet to the terrain that held her soul in its loving grip."Getting up here, I say it is the best road trip in America, soaring through nature's finest show. Denali, the great
one, soaring under the midnight sun. And then the extremes. In the winter time it's the frozen road that is competing with the view of the ice-fogged frigid beauty. And then in the summertime, such extreme summertime, about 150 degrees better than just
some months ago, than just months from now, with fireweed blooming along the frost heaves & merciless rivers that are rushing & carving & reminding us that here, Mother Nature wins. It is as throughout all Alaska, that big wild good life teeming along
the road that is north to the future."
It is this love of land, rootedness, and belonging that have defined Palin and made her much of what she is. Outsiders may never fully comprehend it, but she will likely never stop trying to help them understand.
Source: The Faith of Sarah Palin, by Stephen Mansfield, p. 29
, Sep 21, 2010
Exxon Valdez spill was environmental & economic disaster
Good Friday, March 24, 1989 turned into one those "where were you when..." moments. In Prince William Sound, America's northernmost ice-free port, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez had run aground and some of its cargo of 53 million gallons of
North Slope crude was pouring into the water.Instantly, Alaskans thought of the fisheries. The fishing industry in the Valdez-Cordova area employs thousands of people--in fact, fisheries are the state's top private-sector employer.
Ultimately, the tanker would spill 11 million gallons of oil into the water--and contaminated 1,500 square miles of shoreline. Many Americans remember the Exxon Valdez spill as a series of tragic environmental images: Litters of dead seabirds slicked in
shrouds of slime. Sinister black muck surging against the rocks. But in addition to being one of the worst manmade environmental disasters in history, the spill was an economic and social disaster. The spill would change Alaska forever.
Source: Going Rogue, by Sarah Palin, p. 59-60
, Nov 17, 2009
20 years to recover Exxon Valdez damages for people of AK
[After the Exxon Valdez spill], with the polluted Prince William Sound unfishable and incomes dried up, banks repossessed scores of commercial fishing vessels, leaving hundreds of people jobless. Entire commercial salmon and herring fisheries closed
after the disaster.After the long clean-up effort, as days rolled into weeks, then months, then years, Alaskan's frustration mounted as ExxonMobil steadily refused to step up and pay the penalty the courts decided it owed for destroying the livelihood
and lifestyles of so many families and communities. And no one in local, state, or national government seemed able to hold the corporate giant accountable.
ExxonMobil's litigation compounded the suffering. Court challenges stretched on for two decades.
It took 20 years for Alaska to achieve victory. As governor I filed an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiffs, and in 2008 the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the people. Finally, Alaskans could recover some of their losses.
Source: Going Rogue, by Sarah Palin, p. 61-62
, Nov 17, 2009
FactCheck: Praised $500M for Valdez victims; but wanted $2B
PALIN: Welcomes last year's Supreme Court decision deciding punitive damages for victims of the nation's largest oil spill tragedy, the Exxon Valdez disaster, stating it had taken 20 years to achieve victory. As governor, she says, she'd had the state
argue in favor of the victims, and she says the court's ruling went "in favor of the people." Finally, she writes, Alaskans could recover some of their losses.THE FACTS: That response is at odds with her reaction at the time to the ruling, which
resolved the long-running case by reducing punitive damages for victims to $500 million from $2.5 billion. Environmentalists decried the ruling as a slap at the victims and Palin herself said she was "extremely disappointed." She said the justices had
gutted a jury decision favoring higher damage awards. "It's tragic that so many Alaska fishermen and their families have had their lives put on hold waiting for this decision," she said, noting many had died "while waiting for justice."
Source: AP Fact Check about "Going Rogue", in NY Times
, Nov 13, 2009
Opposed protections for salmon from mining contamination
This month, Ms. Palin issued a last-minute statement of opposition to a ballot measure that would have provided added protections for salmon from potential contamination from mining, an action seen as crucial to its defeat.
Source: New York Times, pp. A1 & A10, “An Outsider Who Charms”
, Aug 29, 2008
Sue US government to stop listing polar bear as endangered
Governor Sarah Palin announced today the State of Alaska has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to overturn Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne’s decision to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered
Species Act.This action follows written notice given more than 60 days ago, asking that the regulation listing the polar bear as threatened be withdrawn. “We believe that the Service’s decision to list the polar bear was not based on the best
scientific and commercial data available,“ Governor Palin said.
The Service’s analysis failed to adequately consider the polar bears’ survival through prior warming periods, and its findings that the polar bear is threatened by sea-ice habitat loss are
not warranted. The Service also failed to adequately consider the existing regulatory mechanisms which have resulted in a sustainable worldwide polar bear population that has more than doubled in number over the last 40 years to 20,000-25,000 bears.
Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: press release, “Polar Bear”
, Aug 4, 2008
We must encourage timber, mining, drilling, & fishing
Industry knows we want responsible development. Anadarko will drill Alaska’s first-ever gas-targeted wells on the North Slope. Chevron, FEX, Renaissance--many others are exploring. That’s ratification of
AGIA’s promise to make investments profitable for industrious explorers. There’s more we can do to ramp up development. Our new reservoir study can increase development and we will ensure better, publicly supported project coordination.
To cultivate timber and agriculture, we’re encouraging responsible, economic efforts to revitalize our once-robust industries.
We can and must continue to develop our economy, because we cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks.
Source: 2008 State of the State Address to 25th Alaska Legislature
, Jan 15, 2008
Wolf predator control is important for subsistence hunters
Gov. Palin criticized Congressman George Miller’s (D-CA) legislation to eliminate an important element of wildlife management by the State of Alaska. “Moose & caribou are important food for Alaskans, & Rep. Miller’s bill threatens that food supply,” said
Gov. Palin. “Rep. Miller doesn’t understand rural Alaska, doesn’t comprehend wildlife management in the North, and doesn’t appreciate the Tenth Amendment that gives states the right to manage their own affairs.” Miller’s bill would ban the shooting of
wolves from aircraft, a component of moose and caribou management plans in five specific areas of Alaska. Contrary to what Rep. Miller said in Washington yesterday, there is no “aerial hunting” of wolves in Alaska, Palin said. “Our science-driven and
abundance-based predator management program involves volunteers who are permitted to use aircraft to kill some predators where we are trying to increase opportunities for Alaskans to put healthy food on their families’ dinner tables. It is not hunting.”
Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: Press release 07-197, “Wildlife”
, Sep 26, 2007
Feds shouldn’t list beluga whales as endangered
Gov. Palin has told the federal government that the state is extremely concerned about a proposal to list Cook Inlet beluga whales as an endangered species, and urged the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) not to list the species. “Our scientist
feel confident that it would be unwarranted to list Cook Inlet belugas now,” Gov. Palin said. “Seven years ago, NMFS determined that these whales weren’t endangered, and since then, we’ve actually seen the beginnings of an increase in their population.
We are all doing everything we can to help protect these important marine mammals.“
The state submitted 95 pages of data and formal comments to NMFS on the proposed listing, pointing out that the Cook Inlet stock of belugas is recovering from
an ”unsustainable harvest“ in the early 1990s. ”I am especially concerned that an unnecessary federal listing and designation of critical habitat would do serious long-term damage to the vibrant economy of the Cook Inlet area,“ Palin said.
Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: Press release 07-175, “Beluga”
, Aug 7, 2007
Provide stability in regulations for developers
I’m keenly aware of sharply declining production from North Slope fields. The amount of oil currently flowing through the Pipeline is less than half of what it was at its peak. We must look to responsible development throughout the state--from
the Slope all the way down to Southeast--every region participating! From further oil and gas development, to fishing, mining, timber, and tourism, these developments remain the core of our state. We provide stability in regulations for our developers.
Source: 2007 State of the State Address to 24th Alaska Legislature
, Jan 17, 2007
Convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR
The standard should be no different for industry. Ironically, we’re trying to convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR, but we can’t even get our own Pt. Thomson, which is right on the edge of ANWR, developed! We are ready for that gas to
be tapped so we can fill a natural gas pipeline. I promise to vigorously defend Alaska’s rights, as resource owners, to develop and receive appropriate value for our resources.
Source: 2007 State of the State Address to 24th Alaska Legislature
, Jan 17, 2007
Fish platform: “Resource First” philosophy
COMMERCIAL FISHING: Fish Platform: Do What’s Right For Alaska’s Fishing Communities- “Resource First” Philosophy
- Professional ADF&G Management with Adequate Funding
- Fishery Advisor
- Balanced Board and Council Appointments
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Aggressive Marketing Campaign
- No Fish Farming
I am not only a champion for Alaska’s fishing industry, but a part of it. My family is proud to be a Bristol Bay fishing family. If we manage for abundance, we should have enough fish for all our needs
Source: Palin-Parnell campaign booklet: New Energy for Alaska
, Nov 3, 2006
Rail provides critical link for business development
- The railroad provides a critical link to Interior Alaska for hauling equipment & materials, as well as passengers.
- Rail service & use has improved greatly over the past few years. The system is being managed, maintained, and upgraded to better
standards.
- Rail development is ideal for transport of heavy items. If it is economically beneficial over the long term, rail should be utilized open up those areas of Alaska currently not served by roads in order to support business development.
Source: Palin-Parnell campaign booklet: New Energy for Alaska
, Nov 3, 2006
Supports “Roads to Resources”: subsidized access to mines
When it comes to spending state money, Palin is generally conservative. Yet Palin supports the state’s “roads to resources program,” which funds roads to mines and other natural resources projects such as oil and gas.
Knowles say the state should not subsidize road construction to new mines.
Source: Anchorage Daily News: 2006 gubernatorial candidate profile
, Oct 31, 2006
Don’t duplicate effort in monitoring cruise ship emissions
Palin questioned environmental aspects of the new cruise ship law in an Oct. 17 letter to the Alaska Travel Industry Association, the state’s major tourism group. Palin questioned whether the new environmental monitoring is “redundant” under state law
and she said no other Alaska business faces the consumer disclosures now required for cruise lines. Palin worried about the law’s environmental enforcement and its requirement for cruise lines to disclose
their commissions for channeling passengers to flightseeing companies, rafting businesses, gift shops and other on-shore vendors.The state Departments of Environmental Conservation and state
Department of Revenue are now writing the regulations to enforce the taxes, environmental permits and disclosure rules. The new taxes and rules go into effect Dec. 17.
Source: Anchorage Daily News: 2006 gubernatorial candidate profile
, Oct 30, 2006
Don’t amend AK constitution for rural subsistence fishing
Subsistence fishing might be the issue that most clearly separates Knowles and Palin. 83% of rural households have subsistence fishing permits.
Knowles expended much effort as governor trying to reconcile state and federal law, the latter of which gives rural residents priority to fish and game on the vast federal lands in Alaska. He wants an amendment to the Alaska
Constitution to cement the rural priority. Pundits reckon that position is a plus for Knowles among rural voters.Palin opposes a constitutional amendment, saying equality provisions should not be tampered with.
She says the state should work toward another resolution that protects subsistence for those who need it most.
Knowles & Palin are in accord on one final item: No fish farms in Alaska waters.
Source: Anchorage Daily News: 2006 gubernatorial candidate profile
, Oct 29, 2006
Page last updated: Jun 15, 2016