The Observer, January, 2009

New legislative committee likely to deal with bill to set up state invasive species council

The citizens’ council board at its September meeting in Cordova formed a new Legislative Affairs Committee for the 2009 lawmaking session.

The members are John Velsko of Homer, Blake Johnson of Kenai, John French of Seward, Iver Malutin of Kodiak, and Pat Duffy of Valdez. Velsko is the new committee’s chair, with Johnson as vice chair. All are also members of the council board.

One bill the committee may track would create the Alaska Council on Invasive Species to serve as a statewide clearinghouse and coordinating body on the issue.

Invasive species, long a major issue for the citizens’ council, refers to the problem of non-indigenous plants or animals reaching Alaska and establishing themselves here. Such invaders can harm native species, including such commercially valuable ones as salmon. For the citizens’ council, the primary concern is organisms arriving via oil tankers—either attached to hulls or riding in ballast water that the tankers discharge before loading North Slope crude at the Alyeska terminal in Valdez.

The bill was filed early this month by Rep. Craig Johnson of Anchorage. “Governmental, public, and private entities need a cooperative means of communicating, planning, coordinating, and collaborating in the development of a statewide plan of action in addressing the threat posed by invasive species,” the bill says, under legislative findings.

It would create a 14-member council with five seats held by the commissioners of various departments of state government. The remaining seats would represent conservation organizations, farmers, commercial fishermen, commercial shippers,
Native corporations, and the public at large, among others. The council, according to the bill, would “plan and coordinate efforts that address the threats posed to the state and its residents by invasive species.” It would seek to involve federal departments and agencies in the process.

Lisa Ka’aihue, manager of the citizens’ council’s projects on non-indigenous species said the state council would be an important tool for addressing
the issue. “If we’re going to prevent the types of invasions that have wreaked environmental and economic havoc in other states, we have to start now and be very vigorous in our planning and management,” Ka’aihue said.

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