HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTION 1992-81 CITY OF KENAI
RKqOLUTION NO. 92-81
Suggested by: Administration
A RF~OLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA SUPPORTING
PROPOSED RULE PART VIH, EPA 40 CFR, PART 230, "EXCEPTION FROM WETLANDS'
MITIGATION SEQ~CE FOR ALASKA," COMMONLY CALLEi) THE "1% AI~SKA
RULE."
WHBRE, AS, the City SUl~..rts the 1% Alaska Rule which is in President Bush's .Wetlands Policy
and EPA's proposed resumon to the Clean Water Act, Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines, 'Which
provides an exception from the wetlands mitigation sequence, (i.e., avoidance, minimization, and
compensation), for proposed discharges of dredged or fill material into wetlands in states with
less than one percent loss of historic wetland acreage, and
WHEREAS, since Alaska has already demonstrated its environmental responsiveness by its
excellent wetlands preservation track record, the City supports this more flexible policy which
would allow Alaska to develop its wetlands under the 1% tb-eshold without having to'
compensate, and
WHEREAS, Alaska is the only state that meets the criteria with less than 0.1% loss of' historic
wetlands, (while other states have 27% to over 90% wetland losses), and
WHEREAS, the City of Kenai supports reasonable development of wetlands for the good of
mankind and points out the following:
The total wetlands in Alaska is estimated to be up to 70% to 85% of its total land and
water surface area.
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The quantity of wetlands in Alaska is estimated to be from 130,C00,000 to 300,000,000
acres while the wetlands in all the other states combined totals 104,000,000 acres. With
so much wetlands in Alaska it is unreasonable to force Alaskans to create new wetlands
for every acre of wetlands they develop.
Alaska's climate makes building on wetlands very expensive and thus developers already
go to extremes to avoid or minimize development on wetlands.
Many municipalities in Alaska are located in huge areas of wetlands, thus any and all
development or growth of their city requires filling in of wetlands. Uplands, or dry
lands, in most of Alaska are scarce. To require cities to create additional wetlands for
every area filled does not make sense. They would often have to go hundreds of miles
to even find uplands to alter the wetlands.
Changes of uplands, or dry lands to wetlands, could easily have a very adverse impact
on our environment and our wildlife. Converting patches of uplands to wetlands could
have a tremendous negative impa~t on upland wildlife habitat.
Because of the huge expanses of undeveloped wetlands in Alaska, wetland wildlife habitat
have plenty of alternatives if lin~ted wetland areas are developed. Alaska. is very
different from the urban areas of the lower 48.
There are tremendously huge areas of Alaska, (larger than most states), that are set aside
as federal and state parks, wildernesses, and refuges which will never be developed, and
~AS, the City supports immediate a~tion on the proposed rule and does not want to see
the comment period extended.
NOW THEREFORE BB IT RESOL~ THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI,
ALASKA supports proposed Rule Part VlH, EPA 40 CFR, Part 230, "Exception From Wetlands
Mitigation ,~quence for Alaska," commonly called the "1 ~ Alaska Rule."
PASSItD BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KEN/II, ALASKA this 16th day of
D~ember, 1992.
Written by Public Works:
12/11/92
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