(JUNEAU) - Earlier this week Senate President Gene Therriault (R-North Pole) and House Speaker Pete Kott (R-Eagle River) sent a letter to the National Parks Service protesting parts of their 2003 "Back Country Management Plan, which would restrict access to areas of the Denali National Forrest by boat, plane or snowmachine.

The letter, which was sent to Assistant Interior Secretary Craig Manson, states that the draft backcountry plan limits access based on an "undefined aesthetic value," and in complete contradiction of the letter and spirit of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which was enacted to protect traditional park access rights to Alaskans. Therriault said he recognizes and applauds the effort in the draft plan to mange the resources of the park, but that plan too closely resembles plans used for parks outside of Alaska, that are not subject to ANILCA.

"Under ANILCA the only time park access may be restricted is when the Secretary of Interior determines that such access would be detrimental to the resources," said Therriault. "If the proposed closures are permitted it will set a terrible precedent for future closures based on discreet user group complaints."

Kott said that the plan appears to impermissibly treat "feelings" as "resources" and proposes major access closures to protect the feelings of certain classes of park visitors.

"This draft plan clearly violates particular features of ANILCA," said Kott. "It would eviscerate the traditional access guarantees that are the very core of the compromises codified in that Act."

Both leaders agree that allowing this access restriction to make it to the final plan would put access provisions of ANILCA in serious jeopardy. Therriault said that he and other members of the Legislature will be following this issue closely over the interim and will fight hard to protect the traditional access right guaranteed to Alaskans under ANILCA.

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