Gov. Mike Dunleavy has once again splattered red ink over a budget created by the leaders of both major parties in our Legislature. The veto for funding — for the second consecutive year — of the Ocean Ranger program, created by a majority of Alaska voters in 2006 to ensure independent environmental monitoring of the cruise industry, stands out as unique.
Why? Because the program is paid for by passenger fees — it doesn’t cost the state any money, which means killing the program doesn’t save the state any money. This veto is a straight-up political favor to an industry that earned the need for extra scrutiny because of a long history of felony pollution convictions. Dunleavy claims the state will someday adopt regulations adequate to replace the current program; even though Department of Environmental Conservation staff has repeatedly stated the program is “unnecessary and unfair.”
The timing of this veto couldn’t be more ironic. The Ocean Rangers also monitor public health issues, for example, they can check in regularly with cruise ship medical staff and report to state and federal officials and local communities if there are significant outbreaks of say, viruses, during a cruise. Talk about missing the boat.
Instead of suggesting the Ocean Ranger program be expanded to all U.S. ports of call, Dunleavy has again thrown it overboard, even though it has proven its value to protecting our waters and fisheries for more than a decade. Meanwhile, the effort to recall the governor has been sidelined by the pandemic that first got attention in the U.S. after an outbreak on a cruise ship. As Daniel Webster once said, there’s nothing so strange as truth.
— Gershon Cohen
Haines
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