Alaska Wetlands Conservation Act

Summary

Alaska Wetlands Conservation Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide that specified guidelines for disposal sites for the discharge of dredged and fill material into navigable waters for States with substantial conserved wetlands areas: (1) shall not require mitigation to compensate for wetlands loss and adverse impacts to wetlands; (2) may include requirements for minimization of such adverse impacts; and (3) may include requirements for avoidance of impacts but may not require the permit applicant to establish that upland alternative sites do not exist. Directs the Secretary of the Army, at the request of a State with substantial conserved wetlands areas, to issue a general permit for such State which applies to the discharge of dredged or fill material into disposal sites of at least ten acres, and may not contain guidelines for disposal sites that are more stringent than the guidelines described above. Includes as a nonprohibited discharge of dredged or fill material in a State with substantial conserved wetlands any discharge: (1) associated with airport safety; (2) for the construction and maintenance of log transfer facilities; (3) for the construction of tailings impoundments utilized for treatment facilities; and (4) for construction of ice pads and ice roads and for snow storage and removal purposes. Requires the Secretary to issue a permit for the discharge of dredged or fill material into the navigable waters at a disposal site if such discharge complies with reasonable guidelines established by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary, for permits issued for economic base lands (specified lands conveyed to or owned by Alaska Native entities or the State of Alaska), to: (1) balance the standards and policies of this Act against U.S. obligations to allow such lands to be used to create and sustain economic activity; (2) give substantial weight to the social and economic needs of Alaska Natives; and (3) consider the abundance and value of conserved wetlands in the State in which such economic base lands are found. Directs the Secretary to issue general permits for categories of activities on economic base lands relating to the development of rural Alaskan community infrastructure without determining whether such activities will: (1) cause only minimal adverse environmental effects when performed separately; or (2) have only minimal cumulative adverse effects on the environment.

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3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 21 January 1997

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 21 January 1997

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 21 January 1997

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