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Alaska Wetlands Initiative
As part of the Administration's 1993 Wetlands Plan, EPA and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers convened stakeholders and solicited public
input in Alaska to identify and address concerns with implementing the Clean
Water Act Section 404 program in Alaska. The seven -month process resulted
in a report issued on May 13, 1994, which identified 26 action items to
be implemented by the Federal agencies, many in coordination with the State,
Natives, and other participating stakeholders.
Alaska's Wetlands
Alaska is estimated to have approximately 175 million acres of wetlands,
comprising approximately 43% of the surface area of the State - more wetlands
acreage than the rest of the United States combined. The State is also
characterized by high levels of Federal, State, and Native Corporation
land ownership, a small population (over a third of which lives in Anchorage),
relatively large Native and subsistence populations, and Arctic and sub-Arctic
climates. Alaska's diverse array of wetlands possess a variety of
functions and values that contribute substantially to the Nation's
economy and well-being. For example, wetlands serve as valuable habitat
for wildlife and fisheries (the salmon industry in Alaska is the State's
largest nongovernmental employer).
Stakeholder Participation
The Initiative was developed in consultation with a diverse and comprehensive
group of Alaskan stakeholders and the public. Stakeholders representing
such interests as commercial fishing, environment, Natives, oil and gas,
and the State, as well as the Department of Energy, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, participated
in a series of meetings around the State. The public was invited to attend
all stakeholder meetings, submit written comments, and participate in
a Statewide teleconference linking 20 locations through out Alaska. Stakeholders
and the public identified concerns with the wetlands program, focusing
on how circumstances in Alaska, such as climate and the extent of wetlands,
affect implementation of regulatory requirements in the State.
Actions
The Initiative report summarizes the results of the effort and presents
the recommendations and actions, in combination with the initiatives identified
in the Administration's Wetlands Plan, that will be under taken in
Alaska to address concerns raised during the Initiative. Conclusions are
built upon the factual information and technical data identified during
the Initiative. Strong agreement among the Federal agencies provides the
basis to implement the actions in a manner that ensures effective protection
of Alaska's valuable wetlands while providing appropriate regulatory
flexibility to reflect circumstances in Alaska. Key actions include -
- implementing abbreviated permit processing procedures for the construction
of water, wastewater, and sanitation facilities in wetlands in Alaskan
villages
- continuing to develop general permits, which efficiently allow activities
with minimal impacts to proceed without the need for individual permit
authorization
- strengthening relationships with the State, local governments, and
Native Corporations and villages through such measures as establishing
written partnerships regarding the regulatory program and placing greater
emphasis on providing assistance for local wetlands planning mechanisms
as they relate to the regulatory program.
- clarifying "practicability" and "flexibility"
considerations that allow implementation of the regulatory program to
reflect circumstances in Alaska.
Copies of the report, titled "Alaska Wetlands Initiative: Summary
Report," may be obtained from the EPA Wetlands Information Hotline.
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