OCR Text |
Show A Sad Commentary I regret my absence from this critical strategy session of the Western States Coalition. The 1 western states have found their voice, and your great efforts are felt during what have become difficult times in Alaska. Over the last twenty years, our country has undergone a major cultural cul-tural revolution we now call the environmental movement. While this movement's humble origin had at heart the health of our communities, communi-ties, our water bodies, and our air quality, its' solutions have become the problem. Environmental policy decisions have been overwhelmingly influenced influ-enced by "gloom and doom predictions" predic-tions" about devastation and irrevocable irrevo-cable loss of public resources. The result has been widespread devastation devasta-tion and irrevocable loss of economies across the western United States. The environmental movement has used quasi-science and fear-mongering in pursuit of a Utopian ideal. It is a sad commentary that leaders lead-ers from the western states are gathered gath-ered here today with grave faces and heavy hearts. We have heard one time too many, "We're from the government, and we're here to help you." The Western States Coalition is here today to define how we will help ourselves in the future, for we will no longer tolerate toler-ate the exclusion of our citizens from their backyards. The vast majority of federal lands in Alaska has been withdrawn by Congress, forever preserved from development. The economic devastation devas-tation of these actions is felt each day in Alaska. We depend upon re- sponsible resource development for our future, and access to our land is critical. Alaska's livelihood has been whittled away one parcel at a time by these land classifications. I The loss of the potential for oil and ' gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, limita- tions on the mining industry, and 1 the teetering timber industry in Southeast Alaska make us intolerant intoler-ant of the President's proposal to create yet more preservation acreage in one of our sister states. Too many Alaskans have lost their jobs. Too many Alaskans have lost their ability to create new jobs. The price has been heavy in "our state. The continuing abuse of 'authority and high-minded man- I agement of western states from a bureaucracy thousands of miles away must end. We stand firm in our opposition to the unilateral wilderness classification classifi-cation of land when it is opposed by the vast majority of residents of the state. To the citizens of Utah, we pledge our undying support. You have been alongside Alaskans in our battle for oil exploration in ANWAR and sustainable timber harvest in Southeast Alaska. We stand by you now, and offer whatever what-ever assistance we may provide. Gail Phillips Speaker of The House State of Alaska |