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Rep. Young Introduces Bills Addressing
“…Alaska will provide the gateway to our nation’s future.”

Washington, Jun 15 -

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young has introduced two bills to address the effect changing Arctic conditions will have on commerce, resource development, tourism, and safe navigation of Arctic waters.  In the coming years, it is anticipated that the Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route will see increased traffic in viable shipping routes, and an increased presence of ecotourism and resource exploration in Arctic waters.  The bills address these concerns proactively in order to be well prepared for the future.

“The United States is an Arctic nation because of Alaska and Alaska will provide the gateway to our nation’s future,” said Rep. Young.  “We have the opportunity now to address the prospects of industry years down the road and how we can use changing arctic conditions to our advantage.  Now is the time to be investing in our infrastructure and laying the groundwork!  Already, thousands of vessels are operating in the Arctic Ocean or adjacent ice covered seas.  Cruise ship tourism has been growing quickly in ice-infested waters in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Russia.  We don't have adequate search and rescue in place, we don't have the best possible charts, and we don’t have the necessary infrastructure.  These bills help the right things happen now.”

·      H.R. 2864 will amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineating the United States extended continental shelf, and the monitoring and description of coastal changes.  This bill lies under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

·      H.R. 2865 will ensure safe, secure, and reliable marine shipping in the Arctic including the availability of aids to navigation, vessel escorts, spill response capability, and maritime search and rescue in the Arctic.  This bill lies under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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