Letter to Denali Commission Federal Co-Chair Jeff Staser

July 20, 2003

Mr. Jeff Staser
Federal Co-Chair
Denali Commission
510 L Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99501

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD ON DENALI COMMISSION DRAFT INVESTMENT POLICY

Dear Jeff:

Like many Alaskans, I awoke on Sunday morning to newspaper reports that the Denali Commission's draft investment policy, which was released for public comment, on July 1, 2003, is causing grave concern in rural Alaska. While all of the issues identified in the article are significant, I am most immediately concerned about the decision to submit the policy to a 45 day comment period ending on August 15, when most rural Alaskans are fully committed to critical subsistence activities. The Commission's July 1 letter transmitting the draft policy to stakeholders expresses its commitment to "do the right thing, in the right way." This commitment must extend not only to the Commission's policy decisions but also the process by which it involves the stakeholder community in its decision making.

I respectfully ask that the Commission consider extending the comment period on the draft investment policy to a date not earlier than mid-November 2003. Such an extension would provide delegates to the upcoming Alaska Federation of Natives convention with an opportunity to deliberate on and provide meaningful input to the decision. In the interim, the Commission should conduct a stakeholder workshop to explain the draft policy and to engage the stakeholder community, particularly village Elders, in the decision making process. Participants in the workshop should include other funding agencies active in rural Alaska, including the regional Native nonprofit corporations, the Alaska Native Health Board, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and the Rasmuson Foundation.

The Commission's funding policy is important, not only to rural Alaska, but to urban Alaska as well. I am writing this letter from Fairbanks, the hub city for Interior Alaska, whose economic health depends in part on orders of goods and services from the surrounding rural communities. Moreover, I am deeply concerned that hastily conceived changes in the Denali Commission's funding policies could stimulate further migration from the rural areas into the urban communities and place significant unanticipated financial and social services burdens on the urban communities.

I deeply appreciate your leadership of the Denali Commission and its good works.

Sincerely,

Lisa Murkowski
United States Senator