SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, OCEANS, WILDLIFE AND INSULAR AFFAIRS
Z.J. Loussac Library-Main Branch, 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage, Alaska
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
10:00 a.m. Alaska Time

• Press Release - Witnesses: President’s Ocean Zoning Threatens Alaska’s Economy (4/3/2012)
• Key Issue - President Obama's National Ocean Policy
• Official hearing transcript

OVERSIGHT FIELD HEARING ON:

• "Alaska’s Sovereignty In Peril: The National Ocean Policy’s Goal to Federalize Alaska"

Watch the Archived Hearing Webcast:

OPENING STATEMENT:

The Honorable Don Young
Acting Chairman

The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
U.S. Senator

WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY:

Panel I

Doug Vincent-Lang
Acting Director
Division of Wildlife Conservation
Alaska Department of Fish and Game

The Honorable Reggie Joule
Member
Alaska House of Representatives

Rick Rogers
Executive Director
Resource Development Council for Alaska
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Stephanie Madsen
National Committee Chair
United Fishermen of Alaska
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Panel II

Kara Moriarty
Executive Director
Alaska Oil and Gas Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Fred Parady
Executive Director
Alaska Miners Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

John Sturgeon
Director
Alaska Forest Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Dr. John W. Farrell
Executive Director
U.S. Arctic Research Commission

BACKGROUND:

The hearing will focus on how President Obama’s plan to mandate ocean zoning through implementation of the National Ocean Policy threatens Alaska’s sovereignty and economic livelihood. President Obama’s National Ocean Policy calls for a new ‘ocean zoning’ authority headed by 9 Federally-dominated Regional Planning Bodies with the ability to reach as far inland as each deems necessary to protect ocean ecosystem health. The Regional Planning Bodies will have no representation by the people, communities and businesses that will actually be impacted by the regulations and will create zoning plans without any stakeholder input. However, all Federal agencies, the States, and the regulated industries will be bound by the plan. Witnesses will testify on the potential economic ramifications of adding more bureaucratic hurdles to resource-dependent industries, adding uncertainty and anxiety to an already cumbersome permitting process.