is designed to rewrite much of Title 16, the state’s program for permits that affect fish habitat<\/a>. <\/p>\nKyle Moselle, associate director of the office of project management and permitting for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, said that in addressing Title 16, it “could constrain DNR’s statutory authority to appropriate water.”<\/p>\n
That’s a significant issue because most construction projects in Alaska have to affect surface water in some way.<\/p>\n
“When you’re talking about water, it’s everywhere. It’s ubiquitous in our state,” he said.<\/p>\n
A water permit is needed when a road crosses a stream, when a mine covers wetlands, or when a pipeline bridges a river.<\/p>\n
Ben White, statewide environmental program manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation, said the way the measure deals with water “has the potential to increase the time it takes to get a permit.”<\/p>\n
DOT, for example, is likely to have to perform more environmental assessments and environmental impact statements, things that take years, instead of analyses that might take months.<\/p>\n
He suggested that projects would also have to be “overdesigned to accommodate fish.”<\/p>\n
Current rules require construction projects to mitigate any damage to fish habitat with work elsewhere. The ballot measure changes that to require on-site mitigation, something that would be difficult or impossible for some projects.<\/p>\n
Larger projects might not be able to obtain a permit at all under the stricter guidelines, the state officials suggested.<\/p>\n
In addition to AKLNG, officials repeated the affidavit of one industry expert who said the Prudhoe Bay oil field could not have been developed under the standards implemented by Ballot Measure 1.<\/p>\n
The problems might extend to projects that are already operating but need to expand or change their operations. A planned expansion of the Red Dog Mine, in northwest Alaska, might run into difficulties, it was suggested.<\/p>\n
Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, suggested that in some cases, the initiative could grant an exclusive water right to fisheries.<\/p>\n
He said he understands where initiative supporters stand, but he isn’t sold on the argument.<\/p>\n
“I don’t blame them. Fish are very, very important, but they’re not exclusively important,” he said.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Contact reporter James Brooks at jbrooks@juneauempire.com or 523-2258.<\/b><\/p>\n
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