HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTION 1995-25Suggested by: City Council
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FROM A "NO NET 'LOSS" , POLICY . ASSOCIATED WITH THE 'FEDERAL CLEAN
WATER'ACT AND TO AMEND THE FEDE CLEAN WATER aCT TO
MODIFY. THE.~ REGULATORY PROGRAM TO: PRovIDE
FLEXIBILITY IN ALASKA WETLANDS PERMITIING. .
WHEREAS'in 197,2,. the federal Clean Water Act allowed.a broad expansion of federal
jurisdiction over wetlands by modifying the definition of navigable waters to include all
waters of the United States; and,
WHEREAS, since 1972 the federal wetlands regulations have been expanded and now
far exceed what the Congress intended when· it enacted the federal Clean Water Act;
and,
WHEREAS, Alaska contains more wetlands than all other states combined:
approximately 170,000,000 acres, of which nearly ~ remain untOUched and intaCt; and,
WHE~, apPrOximately 98% of all Alaska communities,, including 200 of 209 remote
villages are luted in or .adjacent to weflauds, fgving them' no alternative 'to "wetlands'
for develOPment; and,
WIiEREAS, with negligible benefit to the environment in Alaska, the expansion of
weflauds'regulations has placed an increasing and unnecessary burden on private
landowners, Native' organizations, and loeal and state guvemments by !_n_b~iting
reasonable community growth and environmentally benign, sensitive resource
development; nnd,
WHERFAS, more than 60,000,000 acres of Alaska's wetlands are known to be conserved
in some form of laud designation, including federally designed wilderness, park
refuge laud, and state park and refuge land, that restrict utilization or degradation of
wetlands,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
KENAt, ALASKA,. respectfu~ requests the United States Congress to exclude Alaska
from a "no net loss" policy associated with the federal Clean Water Act, and to amend
the federal Clean Water Act to modify the wetlands regulatory program to
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(1) provide flexibility in AlaSka wetlandsPermitting commensurate with the large
amount of wetlands set aside in Alaska and the Iow histOric rate .of wetlands loss in
Alaska; and, . ~
(2) to relax the restri '.cti°ns on the use.of ,.wetlands :in Alaska'.,,,.
States Congre. ss to recognize* the. unique' COntribution the citizens' of Alaska have made
wetlands conservation and-Alaska's OUtstan~g' record of'wetlands conservation,. '*
PASSED BY THE couNciL OF THE cITY OF KENAl, ALASKA, this ~!7th day of
May, 1995.
Carol L. Freas, City Clerk
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