|
Dan Sullivan on Environment
|
|
Stop EPA from pre-judging Pebble Mine
The US Environmental Protection Agency conduct a controversial review of the Pebble copper, gold and molybdenum prospect. The review determined that such a mine could have a devastating effect on the Bristol Bay salmon fishery.
Sen. Begich recently came out publicly opposing Pebble. As for Sullivan, he blasted Begich for not stopping the EPA's review. Sullivan said that as Natural Resources commissioner, he'd asked the EPA where they get the authority to prejudge a
project that doesn't even exist. "Whether you're for Pebble or against it, no Alaskan should be for an EPA that believes it can preemptively look at any project in the state, on state land, and tell us whether or not we can move forward on it,"
he said. "We should have a senator who's telling the EPA we can't do that, and we don't," Sullivan said.
Source: Alaska Dispatch on 2014 Alaska Senate race
, Jan 27, 2014
Challenge NPS for infringing rights on federal lands
Sullivan has focused efforts to ensure that Alaskans get more access to both state and federal lands. As Attorney General, he challenged National Park Service regulations that infringed on Alaska's navigable waters and overbroad assertions of federal
reserved rights in Alaska waters. He also helped defend the rights of an Alaskan after an encounter with federal officials by challenging the authority of federal officials to bring criminal charges against the individual while traveling on Alaska waters
As DNR Commissioner, his agency worked closely with the Department of Law to research and litigate state rights-of-ways and RS 2477s through DNR's public access assertion and defense (PADD) unit.
As Attorney General, he worked closely with the leaders of the Northwest Arctic Borough to ensure that Outside environmental groups would not shut down the Red Dog mine.
Source: 2014 Senate campaign website Sullivan2014.com "Accomplish"
, Dec 5, 2013
Loosen restrictions on predator control in Alaska.
Sullivan voted YEA Disapprove Subsistence Hunting Rule on ANWR
Library of Congress Summary: This joint resolution nullifies the rule finalized by the Department of the Interior on Aug. 5, 2016, relating to non-subsistence takings of wildlife and public participation and closure procedures on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.
Case for voting YES by House Republican Policy Committee: The Fish and Wildlife Service rule--which lays claim to more than 20% of Alaska--violates ANILCA (Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act) and the Alaska Statehood Compact. Not only does [the existing 2016 rule] undermine Alaska's ability to manage fish and wildlife upon refuge lands, it fundamentally destroys a cooperative relationship between Alaska and the federal government.
Case for voting NO by the Sierra Club (April 6, 2017):
- President Trump signed H.J. Res. 69, overturning the rule that banned "predator control" on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska unless "based on sound science in response to
a conservation concern."
- Any rule mentioning "sound science" is in trouble under a Trump administration.
- So what kinds of practices will the Trump administration now allow on our federal wildlife refuges? Activities that include shooting or trapping wolves while in their dens with pups, or hunting for grizzly bears from airplanes.
- It's all about ensuring a maximum yield of prey species like elk, moose, and caribou for the real apex predator: humans. So if having more elk requires killing wolf pups in their dens, then so be it.
- The Obama administration's rule (which Trump revoked) never tried to stop all hunting. Subsistence hunting was still allowed. What's changed is that the predators on federal wildlife refuges are now under the control of the state of Alaska. And that makes them prey.
Legislative outcome: Passed Senate, 52-47-1, March 21; passed House, 225-193-12, Feb. 16; signed by Pres. Trump April 3.
Source: Congressional vote 18-HJR69 on Feb 16, 2017
Page last updated: Dec 23, 2021