Conservationists angry at Senate bill
By JACK DESMOND
Of the Emerald
The U S. Senate has two days
to decide the fate of millions of
acres in Alaska before it adjourns
Saturday.
But before the Alaska land bill
passes the Senate, however, it
must survive a possible filibuster
by Sen. Mike Gravel, R-Alaska,
who feels the bill would “lock up"
too much of the state.
Conservationists are equally
unhappy with the Senate version
because the bill would create only
75 million acres of wildlife refuges,
wilderness areas, and national
parks in contrast to the House
passed bill that would protect 124
million acres.
••• •••••••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
•••••••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• ••
••••••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• • ••
•••
•••
•••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
••• •••
•••••••
joining our original "Chicago Stqle” pizza on the menu, we're delighted to
introduce The northsider — fiZZA with verij thick crust and a
milder, sweeter sauce that’s cooked on top. Hou will be amazed.
Page 8
No one is quite sure what will
happen in the hectic, closing days
of the session.
"As of Thursday morning, there
was a 50-50 chance of the bill get
ting through,” said Steve Levy, a
spokesperson for the Oregon
Friends of Alaska. He said the bill
must get a high enough priority to
be considered.
Tom Imeson, aide to Sen. Mark
Hatfield, R-Ore., doubts the bill
will be considered.
“It’s unlikely it will be taken up
by the Senate this year,” he said.
The real reason is that it will be
impossible to get agreement on
this bill because it is a simple pro
cedure to object to bills in the
Senate.”
Bruce Farling, assistant director
of the University’s Survival
Center, agrees with Imeson.
“Current indications are that
there is a poor chance the bill will
get out before adjournment. But
since it’s election year, you never
know what will happen.”
After two months of delibera
tion, the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee, of
which Hatfield is a member, pas
sed the bill out of committee to the
floor last Wednesday by a 17-1
vote. Hatfield voted with the major
ity.
The Senate committee reduced
the amount of protected acreage
from the 124 million acres in the
House-approved version, to 75
million acres. Wilderness protec
tion was reduced from 65 million
acres to 30 million acres.
The major acreage reductions
immediately drew fire from con
servationists, who felt the commit
tee version was unacceptable.
“We are indignant that the
committee has produced such a
bad bill,” said Levy. “They have
weakened the protection for the
proposed conservation areas and
divided them between many
management units. This com
pletely ignores the original goal of
the legislation — to protect com
plete ecosystems."
Levy is particularly disturbed by
Hatfield's action on the bill. He
feels Hatfield has been a “major
barrier” to passage of a good
Alaska bill.
Levy said Hatfield led a fight to
remove Quartz Hill from the pro
osed Misty Fjords wilderness area
in southeast Alaska. Quartz Hill
contains molybdenum, a
strengthening material for steel
and chrome, in amounts that min
ing companies would like to de
velop.
Levy claimed that if the area is
developed, it would be the largest
open pit mine in the world. Al
though Hatfield has said he is
concerned about the salmon
fisheries, the effects on salmon
habitat would be highly destruc
tive, Levy added.
Imeson disagrees and claims
Hatfield merely offered an
amendment that suggested
Quartz Hill be studied for its min
eral potential. He pointed out,
however, that the Energy Commit
tee voted down Hatfields
amendment.
Levy said public reaction to the
bill has been tremendous.
“An awful lot of momentum
throughout the country has been
built up for protection of Alaska,"
he said. "Sen. Alan Cranston
(D-Calif.) received 20,000 mail
grams, telegrams and letters last
week, while Sen. Jacob Javits
(R-NY) received 6,000."
Imeson said Hatfield has re
ceived a large number of letters
generally supporting the stronger
House-passed bill.
Although Levy would like to see
the Alaska bill approved this year,
he is more concerned that a
strong, protective bill be adopted.
He said the House-passed bill is
the “absolute bottom line that
conservationists would accept.”
If the bill cannot pass through
this session, Levy is confident an
even stronger bill will be passed
next year.
Still, Levy is disturbed by the
actions of a few senators.
“In all, this can be considered
nothing short of a tragedy for the
millions of Americans who have
supported and worked for the pro
tection of the magnificent wild
lands in Alaska,” he said.
Relax before & after the game
,'GOVERN'
H-T5 franklin fowlsvartf^t^me
OPENING
10 a.m.
the day of
the game
<S£>
Friday, October 13, 1978