The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on Tuesday narrowly voted to commit resources to an ongoing lawsuit to keep the Tongass National Forest exempt from the 2001 federal Roadless Rule, a move that will put the borough at odds with local Alaska Native entities that are opposing the exemption.
The December case, filed by the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, the Organized Village of Saxman, Ketchikan Indian Community and 19 other entities, alleges that federal agencies failed to follow procedures required by the Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Borough Attorney Glenn Brown during the meeting described the December case as another instance of litigation over the Roadless Rule and the Tongass National Forest, using the term âprocedural swashbucklingâ to characterize the ongoing legal disputes over the land.
Without cruise passengers, Ketchikan borough officials project $3.4 million budget shortfall
Posted by Eric Stone | Feb 12, 2021
Ketchikan’s borough offices are located in the White Cliff building. (Maria Dudzak/KRBD)
Faced with the prospect of another canceled cruise season, Ketchikan’s borough is projecting a multimillion-dollar deficit. But despite the estimated $3.4 million shortfall, officials say the borough won’t burn through all of its savings.
Ketchikan’s borough finance director, Cynna Gubatayao, told the Borough Assembly last month that she was expecting a vastly reduced cruise season to weigh on sales tax revenues. Those are the biggest source of the borough’s general revenue property taxes go towards funding the school district.
General and KPU budget on Council agenda ketchikandailynews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ketchikandailynews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on Monday directed the borough manager to begin talks to discuss the borough s acquisition of operating and maintaining the Rainbird Trail.
The Rainbird Trail currently runs through parcels of land owned by the University of Alaska Southeast and by the City of Ketchikan. The borough assumes management responsibilities for the southernmost portion of the trail that begins along the Third Avenue Bypass.
In November members from UAS contacted borough officials to see whether the borough would be able to assume management of the portions of the trail on UAS land, citing the lack of funding available for maintenance of the trail, according to the meeting agenda.
Assembly to consider opposing Roadless Rule lawsuit
Posted by Maria Dudzak | Jan 29, 2021
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly will consider opposing a lawsuit seeking to reinstate the Roadless Rule in the Tongass National Forest.
The Trump administration’s Tongass exemption opens up approximately 9.4 million acres of federal forest land to potential road building and other development. A legal challenge seeking to overturn the exemption was filed by Southeast Alaska tribes and conservation groups late last year.
The Ketchikan City Council recently voted 6-1 to spend up to $5,000 to intervene on the federal government’s behalf. Elected officials in Wrangell recently considered a similar request but decided not to intervene.