Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Passes Forestry Practices Act Amendments

Legislation Strengthens Stream and Water Quality Protections

For Immediate Release: March 6, 1998 Contact: Rep. Gail Phillips at (907) 465-2689 or Rep. Bill Hudson at (907) 465-3744.

Juneau -- The Alaska House Of Representatives today unanimously passed House Bill 373, sponsored by House Speaker Gail Phillips (R-Homer). The measure amends the Forestry Practices Act to strengthen the stream and water quality protections currently found in state law.

"A committee comprised of timber, fishing, and state agency representatives evaluated scientific findings over a two year period and their findings were endorsed by the Board of Forestry at its January meeting," said Representative Bill Hudson (R-Juneau), who led the successful effort on the House Floor to pass HB 373. "Under current law, marginal anadromous* streams are exempted from protections. This measure extends protections to all anadromous streams and adds additional stream protections," Hudson said.

The changes affect only "coastal forest of spruce or hemlock" in the Department of Natural Resources' Region I, which is the coastal area covering roughly Ketchikan to Kodiak. The bill assigns a "type" designation to all streams and extends the no-harvest riparian* * buffer zone to all anadromous streams so-typed. It also requires the retention of low-value timber along certain tributaries where prudent so that debris from that timber can fall into streams and create natural pools downstream.

"This legislation represents solid teamwork among various members of timber, fishing, and environmental groups and state agencies," Rep. Hudson said. "The passage of this bill is a big step toward protecting our valuable fish resources. The collaborative process involved in defining these changes has, I hope, paved the way for future cooperation," Hudson said.

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* anadromous - bodies of water in which salmon travel upstream to spawn

* * riparian - located on a river or stream bank

Broadcasters note: Actuality from Representative Hudson is available at 1-800-478-6540.
= Bill Hudson, 50 K