Senator Dan Sullivan strongly questions the Administration on its intent to “manage” the 1002 area in ANWR for wilderness. He said it goes beyond the President’s lawful authority and is an affront to Alaskans, as reported by the Alaska Public Media.
“How can the president of the United States, a couple of months ago, say he’s going to submit a bill to make the 1002 area wilderness — which is fine. He has a right to do that. It’s got to be approved here (in Congress). It won’t go anywhere. – but then in the meantime say I’m going to quote ‘manage the 1002 area for wilderness anyways.’?” Sullivan asked Dan Ashe, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “That’s what he said. On Air Force 1! To big fanfare!”
Sullivan’s question includes an assertion has been making since January, after President Obama announced he was going to ask Congress to designate new wilderness areas in the Arctic Refuge. Sullivan alleges the Obama administration also changed how the area would be managed in the meantime. Sullivan says the coastal plain of the refuge – known as the 1002 area – is being managed as wilderness, the category of highest protection, that only Congress can grant. For Sullivan, it’s another case of the president overstepping his authority.
“How can he manage the 1002 area for wilderness, when you don’t have the authority to do that? Can you explain that to me? This is a huge issue for my state,” Sullivan said, gaining energy as he continued. “And I think you’re violating the law. I think the president is violating the law. How do you do that?”
See Full Story at Alaska Public Media
Warren / May 7, 2015
A better title for this piece would be, “Arctic Refuge theatrics in Senate hearing.”
Senatorial histrionics are uncalled for on this matter. If President Obama submits a bill to designate the 1002 Area a wilderness area, it will assuredly fail in Congress, as you state. Likewise, any Congressional bill to open the 1002 Area to oil and gas development is dead on arrival with a veto by the president. Given the impasse, this is much ado about nothing in the short term.
Senator Sullivan, please be more respectful to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Your demeanor in this hearing was inappropriate and your accusations of law violations have no merit. (I’ll assume your misbehavior and intemperate comments are due to a tantrum secondary to your endorsement of an Anchorage mayoral candidate who got trounced on the May 5 election.)
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Warren / May 7, 2015
A better title for this piece would be, “Arctic Refuge theatrics in Senate hearing.”
Senatorial histrionics are uncalled for on this matter. If President Obama submits a bill to designate the 1002 Area a wilderness area, it will assuredly fail in Congress, as you state. Likewise, any Congressional bill to open the 1002 Area to oil and gas development is dead on arrival with a veto by the president. Given the impasse, this is much ado about nothing in the short term.
Senator Sullivan, please be more respectful to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Your demeanor in this hearing was inappropriate and your accusations of law violations have no merit. (I’ll assume your misbehavior and intemperate comments are due to a tantrum secondary to your endorsement of an Anchorage mayoral candidate who got trounced on the May 5 election.)
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