special interest environmental groups to the detriment of our Nation’s economy and security. “Beyond unraveling the years of progress President Trump achieved, the Biden Administration went further to effectively block the State’s ownership and management of its navigable waterways and submerged lands; to impede on the State’s Clean Water Act primacy; to advance divisive and dubious legal theories and policies to drive a wedge between Alaska’s Native and non-Native citizens; and to usurp State management of its fish and game upon which Alaskans uniquely rely. The Biden Administration’s actions were accomplished without Congress, rather, through a series of Presidential Executive Orders, Department of Interior (DOI) Secretarial Orders and Solicitor Opinions, rulemakings, and policy pronouncements. “The majority of the actions requested below are Alaska specific, but several are matters of national concern which have an outsized impact on Alaska. First, the proper scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA) must be clearly outlined for the whole Nation. Second, EPA has overstepped its authority in every state that has CWA primacy. Finally, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) have been weaponized by the Biden Administration in several states. The requested actions in these areas will benefit not just Alaska, but the entire Nation. These three reforms will be lauded by states like Alaska that are continually frustrated by development-stopping federal overreach.” Alaska Specific Executive Order “Alaska requests a single Executive Order, issued on the first day of President Trump’s second term, that puts the agencies to work rectifying these issues and creates a cabinet-level task force and six sub-cabinet positions to ensure efficient and effective implementation, and a continued dialogue with the State to keep Alaskans involved in their own future. The requested actions in the Executive Order and laid out in this document all fall within the exclusive discretion of the Executive Branch, allowing President Trump to take this decisive step without any reliance on Congress. “It is essential that the Alaska specific Executive Order be issued as soon as President Trump takes office. The Biden Administration’s assault on Alaska was carried out through a multitude of official agency actions; reversal of these actions must comply with time-consuming administrative procedures. The federal agencies will need sufficient time to complete their procedures and litigate any legal challenges. The agency actions Alaska requests are much more likely to survive a future administration if they have been formally issued and successfully defended in court. Directing agency action on day one is the best way to achieve Alaska’s priorities with a lasting impact. “Alaska also requests that the Alaska Specific Executive Order form a cabinet level task force and create six Schedule C positions to oversee the implementation of each action directed by the Executive Order. The task force provision would require DOI, Department of the Army (DOA), Department of Commerce (DOC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate their efforts of accomplishing the President’s Alaska policy goals. The new Schedule C positions should be Alaska Policy Coordinators placed within the critical implementing agencies to carry out the directives of the President’s Executive Order and task force, including the: Bureau of Land Management (BLM); US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); National Park Service (NPS); Army Corps of Engineers (Corps); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska Region; and EPA Alaska Operations Office. These Alaska Policy Coordinators should report directly to their respective Secretary or Administrator on the cabinet level task force and form a working-group that meets regularly to coordinate the expeditious implementation of the President’s policies outlined in the Alaska Specific Executive Order. “Alaskans look forward to working with President Trump’s Administration to rectify the four years of disingenuous and partisan infringements.” THE LINK: WINTER 2025 42 CONTINUED from PAGE 41 Photo Courtesy Ambler Metals Gov. Mike Dunleavy pointed to federal overreach on the proposed Ambler Road project that would support the Ambler Mining District.
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