Contact: Allen Smith, Anchorage, AK (907) 272
9453 Jim Waltman, Washington, DC (202) 429 2674 Nicole
Whittington-Evans, Anchorage, AK (907) 272 9453 Gisele McAuliffe (202)
429-2642
Alaska
Tops List Of Most Endangered Wildlands Three of "15 Most
Endangered Wildlands" Report Located In
Alaska
WASHINGTON May 25 - The State of Alaska contains the largest
number of most endangered public lands, according to The Wilderness
Society's just released annual list of the "15 Most Endangered
Wildlands." The Wilderness Society (TWS) is the leading national
organization focused on the protection of U.S. public lands.
The report describes the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
Copper River Delta, and Denali National Park and Preserve as
threatened by a mix of oil and gas development, road building,
logging, off-road vehicles, development and mismanaged tourism.
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge also is listed in the report's "Watch
List" of other locations that TWS believes deserve special
attention.
"You might think that lands in Alaska would be
less imperiled," said Allen Smith, TWS Alaska regional director.
"But the state's powerful representatives in Congress and major
industries are full of schemes for exploiting our natural
treasures."
The 12 other most endangered wildlands in the
TWS report are (listed in alphabetical order by the state within
which they are located):
- AZ - Grand Canyon National Park
- AZ - Sonoran Desert/Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge
- CA - Sierra Nevada
- CA and OR - Klamath Basin
- CO - White River National Forest
- ID and OR - Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
- ME - Maine's North Woods
- ND - Little Missouri National Grasslands
- UT - Utah Wilderness
- VA - High Knob, Jefferson National Forest
- WA - Cascade Crest
- WY, MT, and ID - Greater Yellowstone
Rising oil prices
early this year increased the threat of oil drilling and development
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In March, when newspaper
headlines began to feature stories about consumer "sticker shock" at
the cost of gasoline nationwide, the Alaskan congressional
delegation, led by Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), introduced a bill
(S. 2241) that would allow companies to drill in the Arctic Refuge.
Rep. Don Young (R-AK) has introduced a similar bill in the House.
Young and Murkowski chair the committees in Congress that have
jurisdiction over the Arctic Refuge.
The Arctic Refuge
contains only 5 percent of Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain; the other
95 percent already is available for oil and gas exploration. The
Wilderness Society believes this remaining 5 percent-totaling 1.5
million acres-should be protected from development forever.
The Copper River Delta is threatened by the proposed
construction of a road that would cut through the Delta and lead to
land owned by Chugach Alaska Corporation. The Corporation wants the
road constructed so it can develop the land for timber cutting,
mining, and oil and gas leasing.
"A road through the Copper
River Delta will rip apart the region's delicate web of life," said
Nicole Whittington-Evans, TWS Alaska assistant regional director.
"Bulldozing such a road would be a shortsighted act that could
destroy a world-renowned fishery and other globally significant
wildlife habitat."
Denali National Park is threatened by
roads, railroads, snow machine trails, resorts, jetports, and power
plants. "You name it, and some company has a plan to build it in
Denali," Smith said. "This magnificent wilderness park would be
changed forever if these schemes make it off the drawing board."
In Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, the Chugach Electric
Association has proposed building a major power line across the
north side, through proposed wilderness that contains significant
grizzly bear and salmon habitat. Continuing oil and gas development
in the refuge's Swanson River oil fields threatens the adjacent
wilderness areas. Off-road vehicles (ORVs) and snow machines are
damaging the Caribou Hills on the south side of the refuge.
As the foremost national organization specifically focused
on the protection of U.S. public lands, TWS believes it is vital to
provide Americans with a regular status report about the condition
of our wildlands. The "15 Most Endangered Wildlands" report provides
that annual update. It identifies serious problems that continue to
threaten our national lands. This year, TWS identified the misuse of
dirt bikes and other ORVs as one of the fastest growing threats.
Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society works to preserve
America's wilderness and to develop a network of wildlands through
public education, scientific analysis and advocacy. Our goal is to
ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water,
wildlife, natural beauty, opportunities for recreation and spiritual
renewal that protected forests, rivers, deserts and mountains
provide.
To receive Wilderness Society news releases and tip
sheets online, send an e-mail message to newsroom@tws.org, please type
"get news online" in the subject line and include your names and
news affiliation. Also, you can subscribe online by visiting: http://www.wilderness.org/newsroom/getnews.htm.
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