UPDATE: Several executive orders, including 132 and 126, will be heard in a Joint Session on March 12 for up-down votes. You can still let your Legislators know you’d like to see these orders rejected!

Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a dozen executive orders this session and if there’s one trend we’re seeing: it’s stifling Alaskan voices. Most relevant to our mission and region is Executive Order 132, eliminating the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council. Outside of Southeast Alaska, the Recreation River Advisory Board for the Susitna River Basin and the Wood-Tikchik State Park Management Council will be eliminated as well. These advisory bodies bring essential local knowledge and expertise to the decision making table. It shouldn’t surprise you to know there are plans for natural resource extraction very near each of these protected places, like the proposed Palmer Mine. The Legislature has a limited window to reject these Executive Orders or they will go into effect — we need to let our Legislators know how important it is to reject these orders.

EO 132 Eliminating the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council

• The Advisory Council provides deep local and Indigenous knowledge and expertise that is essential to managing this complex place.
• The Legislature itself established the Advisory Council to provide key input on policy and management decisions.
• The preserve is important to the community and economy in countless ways.
• The people of Haines and the Chilkat Valley don’t want to see this council eliminated, as shown in this Chilkat Valley News article and OpEd.

Other Executive Orders

• Rather than issuing sweeping Executive Orders, the Governor should submit proposed legislation to the Legislature.
• Members of the Wood-Tikchik State Park Management Board say representation is important in this story from KDLG in Dillingham.
• The Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Advisory Board and Alaska Department of Natural Resources drafted an update to the 1991 management plan in January of this year according to KTNA Radio in the Susitna Valley.

You can help by contacting House and Senate leadership, as well as your own Representative and Senator. Please enter your own contact information in the fields below and the appropriate Legislators will be contacted.