Environmental Concerns Committee
Co-Chair: Joel Markis Email
Co-Chair: Sue Mauger Email
Background and mission:
The Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) is an ad hoc on-going committee of the Alaska Chapter. It was established by the Executive Committee to provide coordinated technical and policy analysis and Chapter input and comments on environmental issues that affect Alaska’s fishery resources.
Duties:
- Provide technical review and advice on environmental issues affecting fishery resources in Alaska when the Chapter’s opinion or position is solicited by members or by external organizations or agencies.
- Formulate through consensus a Chapter position on such issues for review by the Chapter Executive Committee. Such positions should reflect the concerns of the membership as a whole.
- The ECC formulates resolutions for review by the Resolution and Bylaws Committee on issues that require major policy statements.
- Time deadlines associated with EIS comments and legislative action often preclude using the Resolution process with full membership approval. In such cases, the ECC can generate a Chapter statement on an issue by the following steps:
A. Issue is raised by ECC member or Chapter member at large. Proposer must also provide draft statement and supporting materials. ECC Chair refers draft statement to ECC members for review.
B. ECC Chair consolidates comments and redrafts or assigns ECC member with appropriate expertise to redraft statement accordingly. Revised statement sent back to ECC for approval.
C. Approved statement sent to Executive Committee for their approval. If approved then statement is sent out under Chapter President’s signature.
Recent Activity:
- AFS and the Alaska Chapter comment on EPA & The Clean Water proposed restrictions to Pebble project (September 6, 2022)
- Alaska Chapter comments on reinstating the Tongass Roadless Rule (January 20, 2022)
- Alaska Chapter comments on Revised Waters of the US Definition (April 15, 2019)
- Joint comment letter on Pebble Mine DEIS (June 13, 2019)
- Alaska Chapter comments on changes to Tongass Roadless Rule (December 16, 2019