Members of the Republican-led House Majority Caucus that is expected to decide the fate of the Coastal Management program in the Legislature this year say there is still chance for a bill.
“We are having some very serious discussions with some Majority members about it,” said Rep. Alan Austerman, R-Kodiak, House Majority leader.
Austerman’s comments to reporters Monday were the first public statements from the caucus that controls the House of Representatives since Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell said last week it appeared an initiative petition to place the question of restoring the program has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The state’s Coastal Management program ended last year, after legislators fighting over how much local control coastal communities should have hit a stalemate on renewal and the program expired.
Development advocates such as Gov. Sean Parnell and some legislators said they feared additional local say on coastal projects would be used to block actions crucial to the state’s economy.
The renewal efforts failed when the House adjourned abruptly from a special session called to save the program, and then Parnell ended the program before a second special session could act.
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said he wanted the program restored, but after last year the House would have to take the lead on that. House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, said she wanted the program restored as well, but the Majority would have to take the lead.
Now that the Coastal Management initiative has qualified for the ballot, the only way legislative opponents can head off a public vote is to create a substantially similar program on their own.
Legislators and lawyers reviewing the legal requirements of “of substantially similar” say a weaker version of the program than what the initiative proposes might pass muster with the courts as substantially similar.
Austerman said some members of the Majority have advocated for a bill to restore the program.
“We haven’t seen any legislation yet, we’re waiting to see if somebody’s going to introduce it,” he said.
The Majority leader said the full caucus had not discussed the issue, but members of the majority had been discussing it among themselves.
• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or at patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.
Comments (6)
Add commentVoter Power
Enough signatures were gathered to put the Coastal Management initiative on the ballot . . . . . . I wonder how many signatures are required for a recall . . . . . . any idea, Governor?
This push for Develpment led
This push for Develpment led by Parnell is not for Alaskans or future Alaskans it is wealth creation for the CEO's & share holders of the oil, gas, mining, and timber industry.
Voters need to turn this state blue and get rid of Republicans
Voter Affiliations
I am not sure if the comment about getting rid of republicans makes much sense. Here is the breakdown for party affiliations as of 7/19/10:
36.3% -- Undeclared -- no party affiliation declared
25.9% -- Republicans
16% -- Nonpartisan -- no party affiliation
15.4% -- Democrats
3% -- Alaskan Independence Party members
1.9% -- Libertarians
0.6% -- Republican Moderates
0.5% -- Green Party of Alaska
0.4% -- Veterans Party of Alaska
59% of voters are neither D's or R's.
To paraphrase a famous politician...
To paraphrase a famous politician, if you're young and not a Democrat, you don't have a heart; if you're old and not a Republican, you don't have a brain.
:-)
parnell...
Word on the street is that Parnell is doing everything he can to have Coastal Management die on the vine this legislative session, forcing a referendum in the fall. If that's the case, you can bet big oil will be throwing millions at a campaign against local-voice.
So let's see:
Parnell doing all he can to give away $2 billion to his big oil buddies.
Parnell directing the change of the Department of Natural Resources mission statement against the will of the legislature, removing the words "conserve," "enhance," and "future Alaskans".
Parnell doing all he can to kill Coastal Management in the legislature, which will ultimately lead to a nasty, passionate, and expensive statewide campaign that will demonize local Alaskans.
That's our governor.
boot this clown, right the ship
how this anti-alaskan oil guzzling monkey ever got elected is beyond me, but it would seem he's shown his true colors enough to warrant a lifetime ban from the state of alaska.