Interior targeted in shakeup

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2002

Alaska Rep. Don Young (R) told reporters on Wednesday he was looking to shake things up at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of Interior.

Young said the agency wasn't listening to Alaskans enough and has been treading on the state in terms of subsistence management. He also said its scientists were spreading false and inaccurate data about drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Young didn't say how he was going to change FWS, whose new director, Steve Williams, was confirmed on Tuesday. But he appears to have already started by giving unused military land to a Native village corporation in Fort Yukon instead of letting the agency control it.

The agency, which is supposed to be purely scientific, has also had run-ins with Secretary Gale Norton since she took over.

In related Don Young News, he explained Wednesday why he missed so many votes at the end of last year: He got mad at the Senate and skipped town.

Get the Story:
Fish, wildlife agency on Rep. Young's hit list (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 1/31)
Village to get military land (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 1/31)
Rep. Young explains congressional vote absences (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 1/31)

Relevant Links:
Gwich'in Steering Committee - http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin
Oil Issues in ANWR, US Fish and Wildlife - http://arctic.fws.gov/issues1.html
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service - http://arctic.fws.gov
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pro-Development site - http://www.anwr.org