mineral potential and access prior to any State land allocation which would prohibit mineral staking and leasing such as parks, preserves or land disposals. n Support State efforts to collect re - source data, such as airborne geophysical mapping as a means for increasing future State revenues. n Pursue and defend guaranteed access for all uses across all State and federal lands within Alaska. n Actively engage with the Department of the Interior and industry to ensure that neither the review process for placing tribal lands into trust, nor the final designation of a parcel as trust land, results in any temporary or permanent restrictions on access to, and development of, resources on adjacent lands. n Defend the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule from litigation by third parties and from termination by a Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Regulatory Review Act or by other legislation. n Pursue Secretarial Orders lifting ANC- SA § 17 (d)(1) and other Public Land Orders. Mining Education and Training n Maintain a highly trained Alaskan workforce through support of all mining and geology related degree programs in the UA system, the UAF Mining and Geo- logic Engineering program, and vocational training programs like MAPTS. n Maintain State of Alaska/industry partnership that supports Alaska Resource Education (ARE). Statewide Policy Impacts n Support continued successful col- laboration between the State of Alaska and Province of British Columbia on responsi- ble resource development within the trans- boundary region. n Promote a statewide Constitutional amendment to eliminate management of our natural resources by ballot initiative. All AMA members will receive a final copy of this document
Funding Disclosure for Nonprofit Advocacy Enact legislation to require disclosure when funds from nonprofit organizations are used to affect natural resource policy, per - mitting, litigation and initiative proposals. Permitting Process n Require that water quality standards are scientifically supportable and devel - oped using site-specific criteria and ongoing evaluation as needed due to changing natural conditions. Ensure continued availability of mixing zones. n Ensure State coordination with federal regulatory agencies over Section 404 wet- lands permitting, mitigation, and manage- ment to ensure that projects have access to reasonable wetlands mitigation tools. Help USACE develop rapid functional assessment programs for streams and wetlands to en- sure projects have an approved method to calculate credits and debits statewide. En- courage an open, consistent, and predictable statewide compensatory mitigation policy. Research the costs and benefits of establish - ing State primacy over the 404 program. n Oppose federal encroachment on States’ rights, such as the use of preemp- tive federal veto actions and unnecessary permitting requirements and the purchase of State lands by the federal government which prevents the development of mineral resources. n Oppose unwarranted Endangered Species Act listings and critical habitat designations in Alaska and ensure all deci- sions are based on sound science. n Oppose any policies that are designed to elevate one resource over another and recognize that established policies have proven that Alaska mining projects success- fully co-exist with the natural environment. Land and Mineral Management n Maintain and defend State sover- eignty over navigable waters as granted at Statehood. n Require a thorough evaluation of
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Winter 2021
The Alaska Miner
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