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

Forestry Practices Act Amendments Pass Senate

Legislation Strengthens Stream and Water Quality Protections

For Immediate Release: May 11, 1998 Contact: Rep. Gail Phillips at (907) 465-2689.

Juneau -- The Alaska Senate today overwhelmingly passed House Bill 373, sponsored by House Speaker Gail Phillips (R-Homer). The measure, previously approved by the House, 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. The committee's findings were endorsed by the Board of Forestry. Under current law, marginal anadromous* streams are exempted from protections. House Bill 373 extends protections to all anadromous streams and adds additional stream protections.

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.

"The passage of this bill is a big step toward protecting our valuable fish resources," said House Speaker Gail Phillips (R-Homer), sponsor of HB 373. "This legislation represents solid teamwork among various members of timber, fishing, and environmental groups and state agencies. The collaborative process involved in defining these changes has, I hope, paved the way for future cooperation."

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

* * riparian - located on a river or stream bank