79-12-A5

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Alaskan Anger

Transcript Many Alaskans are furious these days over a bill, sponsored by Representatives Morris Udall and John Anderson. The so-called Alaskan Lands bill would set aside an area of Alaskan land as big as California for the purpose of creating reserves, national parks, and wildlife refuges. This proposal, the largest land conservation measure in history, has sparked resentment by native Alaskans who contend that their economy would be irrevocably damaged. Nevertheless, the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority. The Senate will consider the measure this fall. At present, less than one percent of Alaska is privately owned. The remainder of the land is under federal or state control. And development is severely restricted on most of the government land. Developers claim that the bill will severely limit production of Alaska's great timber, oil and mineral resources, all of which are essential to the American economy. The oil and coal resources are of particular interest to the United States, not to mention the state of Alaska. It is estimated that Alaska contains sixty percent of the nation's undiscovered oil reserves and the bulk of the undiscovered coal reserves. Business and government in Alaska have joined hands in an effort to stop the Alaskan Lands bill. Polls show that Alaskans are solidly opposed to the high-handed intrusion of the federal government in the economic development of their state. Some Alaskans are so angry that they are calling for their state to secede from the Union. A group of more vehement opponents have even talked of taking their case to the United Nations to have the world body enforce Article 73 of the U.N. Charter which prohibits "colonialism." Alaska's economy is already feeling the repercussions of ever-increasing government intervention and regulation. Unemployment is running at an annual rate of twelve percent and business expects a significant slowdown in the economy if the bill passes. Says Bruce Kennedy, president of Alaska Airlines, "The state is demoralized, and the economy is in the doldrums." This overwhelming opposition in Alaska to the Alaskan Lands bill has failed to move environmentalists in the "lower forty-eight." They argue that the Alaskan Lands legislation represents our last chance to protect some of the nation's most beautiful natural terrain. The bill, they say, is necessary to protect some of the nation's last virgin forests and unpolluted rivers. But the Alaskan Lands legislation will disrupt the lives of Alaskans and the development of the state's major industries. Seven major mines, which would produce various metals, will be blocked from developing. This will cost the state 11,000 new jobs and a billion dollar industry. Other major industries, such as oil and timber, will face economic hardship or ruin because of the strict regulation of Alaskan land proposed in the legislation. With the concern over our future supplies of domestic energy at their peak, the Senate should take advantage of its opportunity to strike a more balanced approach between environmental and development interests. The House bill fails to do this, and Alaskans have every reason to be angry. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 79-12-A5 Production Date 08/??/1979 Book/Page [[rrpl:public/2024-07/40-656-7386263-014-016-2024.pdf#PAGE=38|Online PDF Audio Youtube? No
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