The Observer, July, 2009

Begich endorses citizen oversight for Alaska’s Arctic regions

Alaska Senator Mark Begich has called for the creation of an Arctic Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council to ensure local voices will be heard on oil industry development in Alaska’s northernmost areas.

The new council would represent communities and organizations with interests in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, North Slope and Northwest Arctic boroughs. Citizens from St Lawrence Island, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee, the Alaska Eskimo Walrus Commission, the Alaska Nanuq Commission, the Ice Seal Commission, environmental, recreation and tourism organizations, and local villages would have a voice to ensure safe resource development.

Begich’s draft legislation states that the Arctic council will be modeled after the citizens’ councils for Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet. According to the legislation, the existing councils have “proven effective at increasing trust and communication between citizens, the oil industry, and government.” The Arctic council would be funded by the oil industry.

In an editorial on June 27, the Anchorage Daily News voiced support for Begich’s plan.

“His idea is modeled on the successful citizens’ advisory council set up in the early 1990s for Prince William Sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. That council is a well-funded watchdog, keeping an eye on the oil pipeline and tanker operations to help avoid a repeat disaster,” the paper said.

Begich has tried to ease industry concerns about the Arctic council, “This is not a roadblock to development,” he said in a June speech in Annapolis, Md. In fact, Begich said, the advisory council “should be a proactive way to ensure that development occurs in a responsible manner.”

But Dave Harbour, former member of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and previous chairman of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce disagreed in a guest editorial in the June 29 Anchorage Daily News.

Harbour is concerned that a council would “worsen the existing regulatory structure and increase costs to consumers and taxpayers,” and that multiple review processes would “add further complexity through endless legal action.”

Steve Lewis, Prince William Sound’s council president, argued just the opposite in his own guest editorial submitted to the paper.

“The reality is that a citizens’ council would be a boon rather than a burden to everyone concerned with Arctic oil development,” Lewis wrote.

Communication between the industry, state agencies and the council can “take place within the existing regulatory structure, without the creation of another layer of bureaucracy,” Lewis said, “A careful reading of the Oil Pollution Act and the legislation proposed by Senator Begich will show that a citizens’ council, contrary to the fears expressed by some, will be a benefit to all concerned rather than a burden to be borne by one group.”

“We agree with Sen. Begich that the citizens’ council concept has proved itself in Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound, and we hope citizens of the state’s far north will soon have the same outlet for their voices on oil-development issues,” Lewis said. “If asked, we’ll be happy to provide information and expertise to help the new council get on its feet,” Lewis added on July 8.

The proposal for the new council is one of five proposals that Begich hopes will be a part of a new national strategy to contend with the changing climate. President Obama recently called for a task force to develop a new national oceans policy.

Besides the Arctic council, Begich would like to see the U.S. ratify several international arctic treaties, create a new Arctic ambassador, increase funding for science programs to better understand the Arctic environment, and invest in infrastructure enhancements such as ice breakers and submarines.

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