September 26, 2002
It is certainly easy to get lost in all the rhetoric surrounding the Coastal Trail debate, what with the suspicious timing of the bristleworm issue, the perplexing split between Fish & Game staff and the Governor, and the stalling tactics of the trail opponents hoping for support from a new governor.
In spite of all the rhetoric, the basic concepts that gave rise to the idea of a coastal trail are still there. They include
1. A coastal trail has been envisioned for over 30 years now. It is in all our planning documents and it has always been on or near the coast.
2. Fish & Game, as resource managers, have ongoing obligations to provide education and access to the coastal area. They have done little so far. The Orange route, which is near, but not in, the wildlife refuge, is a good way to satisfy these obligations.
3. The Orange route has the least amount of road crossings, is safe, and is in a natural setting over most of its length. None of the other routes meet these needs as well.
4. The Orange route displaces no residences, where most of the other routes do.
Please remember these are the key issues that should guide the final decision. We can still realize the dream of a coastal route if we focus on these things.
Mike Jens
9300 Grover Drive
Anchorage, AK 99507
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