Sullivan Grills U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Ashe on ANWR
WASHINGTON, DC – During a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing today to examine the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) FY2016 budget, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) pressed FWS Director Ashe on the Obama administration’s announcement in January to recommend for Wilderness designation nearly all of the remaining non-Wilderness portions of 19.6 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), including the Coastal Plain or 1002 area.
During a round of questioning, Senator Sullivan explained that the federal government does not have the power to manage the 1002 area of ANWR as if it is Wilderness, without Congressional authorization.
How can the Administration “manage the 1002 area for wilderness when you don’t have the authority to do that?” Sen. Sullivan asked. “Can you explain that to me? This is a huge issue for my state. And I think you’re violating the law—I think the President is violating the law.”
Sen. Sullivan continued to drill down on the issue, asking if the FWS would consider it legal for a future president to manage the area for resource development. “(i)f there is a Republican president in 2017, and he submits legislation to develop the 1002 area for oil and gas development, it doesn’t go anywhere….. Can that president say: I’m now going to manage the 1002 area for oil and gas development?”
Director Ashe said that the president would not have the legal authority to take such action.
In addition to his questions on ANWR, Sen. Sullivan will submit follow-up questions for the record to Director Ashe on a number of important FWS issues facing Alaska, such as the King Cove Road, Endangered Species Act implementation, federal wildlife management, and other issues. He also put out a call to all Alaskans asking them to send their suggested questions for Director Ashe to EPW_QUESTIONS@SULLIVAN.SENATE.GOV by May 15th, 2015.
###
Next Article Previous Article
