Peace talks on coastal zone management

Gov. Sean Parnell and North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta met twice Friday morning on the highly charged issue of local voice in Arctic affairs, offering some hope that the differences can be resolved without breaking apart legislative work in the session's final two days.

"It is a desire on my part that peace break out in the (Capitol) building," Parnell said in an interview late Friday. "When it comes to this issue, this issue has split members on both sides of the aisle, all regions of the state. And I thought it was time for the state's leader and the North Slope Borough's leader to get together and declare better communication is coming."

Read more about those fractures here.

Parnell said he offered regular talks with Itta on coastal zone management and other issues of mutual concern. But later Friday evening, Parnell's press secretary, Sharon Leighow, said that Itta had turned down Parnell's offer of regular talks.

Not so, said Andy Mack, assistant to Itta.

"Mayor Itta had had conversations with the governor and would look forward to rigorous discussions on this and other issues," Mack said.

Perhaps the two are waiting to confirm future plans until the Legislature weighs in with votes on a bill that could give local districts a stronger voice - too strong, in the state's opinion.

House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, heads a Republican majority that counts among its membership three Democrat lawmakers from the Bush, who, with Republicans representing coastal areas, could seriously fracture the majority. That's not a welcome possibility as the Legislature prepares to vote up or down the year's top issues this weekend. Among those? A gas tax bill, Parnell's proposed scholarship plan, a $2.9 billion capital budget.

"I'm glad to see there were talking," Chenault said. "This maybe starts us down the road to a fix that doesn't rip the Legislature apart."

Chenault helped broker the talks, which were attempted late last week and netted little results earlier this week. Several Bush lawmakers and Itta held a press conference recently that was tense. It seemed the gloves had come off, as Itta talked about state government at its worst, refusing to listen to the deep worries of its people. Read more about that here.

Parnell and Itta met twice Friday morning in Juneau to talk about ways they can better communicate. Itta was travelling and not immediately available for comment. Parnell said the talks were positive and established a regular, set framework for ongoing dialogue between the two on coastal zone management and other matters related to the Arctic and development.

"The coastal zone management issues have been looming pretty large in the building and frustrations have built because of those issues," Parnell said in a late Friday interview. "The goal is better communication, and that's what I'm trying to achieve ... He was receptive and warm to the idea."

One of the key issues for the Arctic communities is an impasse with the state's Department of Natural Resources on coastal district policies. Parnell said the regular communications with Itta could give him an in to lend a hand where needed.

"I can't deal with problems I don't know about - or challenges that I've never heard of," Parnell said "Rather than hearing concerns at the end of the process, I'll hear them earlier."

Communities in coastal regions want a greater say early on in state and federal decisions and other resource development that could affect their way of life, including subsistence. But industry reps have warned that giving communities the power to enact and enforce policies on development could shut down resource work. Parnell has said the state can't give away its rights.

"When there's a state resource at stake and state interests at stake, like jobs and the long-term future of our economy, that is something that should not be decided by a local area," Parnell said. "It's the ‘Not-in-my-back yard' syndrome that takes hold and influences decision-making, rather than the state's interest. The state must take into account ... local concerns, but it also must act in the state's interest as a whole."