Republican Governor (AK); ; nominee for Vice President
Opposed protections for salmon from mining contamination
This month, Ms. Palin issued a last-minute statement of opposition to a ballot measure that would have provided added protections for salmon from potential contamination from mining, an action seen as crucial to its defeat.
Source: New York Times, pp. A1 & A10, "An Outsider Who Charms"
Aug 29, 2008
Sue US government to stop listing polar bear as endangered
Governor Sarah Palin announced today the State of Alaska has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to overturn Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's decision to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered
Species Act.
This action follows written notice given more than 60 days ago, asking that the regulation listing the polar bear as threatened be withdrawn. "We believe that the Service's decision to list the polar bear was not based on the best
scientific and commercial data available," Governor Palin said.
The Service's analysis failed to adequately consider the polar bears' survival through prior warming periods, and its findings that the polar bear is threatened by sea-ice habitat loss are
not warranted. The Service also failed to adequately consider the existing regulatory mechanisms which have resulted in a sustainable worldwide polar bear population that has more than doubled in number over the last 40 years to 20,000-25,000 bears.
We must encourage timber, mining, drilling, & fishing
Industry knows we want responsible development. Anadarko will drill Alaska's first-ever gas-targeted wells on the North Slope. Chevron, FEX, Renaissance--many others are exploring. That's ratification of
AGIA's promise to make investments profitable for industrious explorers. There's more we can do to ramp up development. Our new reservoir study can increase development and we will ensure better, publicly supported project coordination.
To cultivate timber and agriculture, we're encouraging responsible, economic efforts to revitalize our once-robust industries.
We can and must continue to develop our economy, because we cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks.
Source: State of the State Address to the 25th Alaska Legislature
Jan 15, 2008
Wolf predator control is important for subsistence hunters
Gov. Palin criticized Congressman George Miller's (D-CA) legislation to eliminate an important element of wildlife management by the State of Alaska. "Moose & caribou are important food for Alaskans, & Rep. Miller's bill threatens that food supply," said
Gov. Palin. "Rep. Miller doesn't understand rural Alaska, doesn't comprehend wildlife management in the North, and doesn't appreciate the Tenth Amendment that gives states the right to manage their own affairs."
Miller's bill would ban the shooting of
wolves from aircraft, a component of moose and caribou management plans in five specific areas of Alaska. Contrary to what Rep. Miller said in Washington yesterday, there is no "aerial hunting" of wolves in Alaska, Palin said. "Our science-driven and
abundance-based predator management program involves volunteers who are permitted to use aircraft to kill some predators where we are trying to increase opportunities for Alaskans to put healthy food on their families' dinner tables. It is not hunting."
Gov. Palin has told the federal government that the state is extremely concerned about a proposal to list Cook Inlet beluga whales as an endangered species, and urged the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) not to list the species.
"Our scientist
feel confident that it would be unwarranted to list Cook Inlet belugas now," Gov. Palin said. "Seven years ago, NMFS determined that these whales weren't endangered, and since then, we've actually seen the beginnings of an increase in their population.
We are all doing everything we can to help protect these important marine mammals."
The state submitted 95 pages of data and formal comments to NMFS on the proposed listing, pointing out that the Cook Inlet stock of belugas is recovering from
an "unsustainable harvest" in the early 1990s. "I am especially concerned that an unnecessary federal listing and designation of critical habitat would do serious long-term damage to the vibrant economy of the Cook Inlet area," Palin said.
I'm keenly aware of sharply declining production from North Slope fields. The amount of oil currently flowing through the Pipeline is less than half of what it was at its peak. We must look to responsible development throughout the state--from
the Slope all the way down to Southeast--every region participating! From further oil and gas development, to fishing, mining, timber, and tourism, these developments remain the core of our state. We provide stability in regulations for our developers.
Source: State of the State Address to the 24th Alaska Legislature
Jan 17, 2007
Convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR
The standard should be no different for industry. Ironically, we're trying to convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR, but we can't even get our own Pt. Thomson, which is right on the edge of ANWR, developed! We are ready for that gas to
be tapped so we can fill a natural gas pipeline. I promise to vigorously defend Alaska's rights, as resource owners, to develop and receive appropriate value for our resources.
Source: State of the State Address to the 24th Alaska Legislature
Jan 17, 2007
Fish platform: "Resource First" philosophy
COMMERCIAL FISHING: Fish Platform: Do What's Right For Alaska's Fishing Communities
"Resource First" Philosophy
Professional ADF&G Management with Adequate Funding
Fishery Advisor
Balanced Board and Council Appointments
Aggressive Marketing Campaign
No Fish Farming
I am not only a champion for Alaska's fishing industry, but a part of it. My family is proud to be a Bristol Bay fishing family. If we manage for abundance, we should have enough fish for all our needs
Source: Palin-Parnell campaign booklet: New Energy for Alaska
Nov 3, 2006
Rail provides critical link for business development
The railroad provides a critical link to Interior Alaska for hauling equipment & materials, as well as passengers.
Rail service & use has improved greatly over the past few years. The system is being managed, maintained, and upgraded to better
standards.
Rail development is ideal for transport of heavy items. If it is economically beneficial over the long term, rail should be utilized open up those areas of Alaska currently not served by roads in order to support business development.
Source: Palin-Parnell campaign booklet: New Energy for Alaska
Nov 3, 2006
Supports "Roads to Resources": subsidized access to mines
When it comes to spending state money, Palin is generally conservative. Yet Palin supports the state's "roads to resources program," which funds roads to mines and other natural resources projects such as oil and gas.
Knowles say the state should not subsidize road construction to new mines.
Don't duplicate effort in monitoring cruise ship emissions
Palin questioned environmental aspects of the new cruise ship law in an Oct. 17 letter to the Alaska Travel Industry Association, the state's major tourism group. Palin questioned whether the new environmental monitoring is "redundant" under state law
and she said no other Alaska business faces the consumer disclosures now required for cruise lines. Palin worried about the law's environmental enforcement and its requirement for cruise lines to disclose
their commissions for channeling passengers to flightseeing companies, rafting businesses, gift shops and other on-shore vendors.
The state Departments of Environmental Conservation and state
Department of Revenue are now writing the regulations to enforce the taxes, environmental permits and disclosure rules. The new taxes and rules go into effect Dec. 17.
Don't amend AK constitution for rural subsistence fishing
Subsistence fishing might be the issue that most clearly separates Knowles and Palin. 83% of rural households have subsistence fishing permits.
Knowles expended much effort as governor trying to reconcile state and federal law, the latter of which gives rural residents priority to fish and game on the vast federal lands in Alaska. He wants an amendment to the Alaska
Constitution to cement the rural priority. Pundits reckon that position is a plus for Knowles among rural voters.
Palin opposes a constitutional amendment, saying equality provisions should not be tampered with.
She says the state should work toward another resolution that protects subsistence for those who need it most.
Knowles & Palin are in accord on one final item: No fish farms in Alaska waters.
