AK SCR2

Requests the Governor and Department of Fish and Game to halt and reverse efforts to introduce wood bison into areas planned for development in Alaska, including the Nenana Basin/Minto Flats area.

Department of Fish and Game imported 53 wood bison from Canada in June 2008 and is holding them at the Alaska Conservation Wildlife Center with plans to release them into the wild after two years of isolation.

Wood bison reintroduction would result in immediate classification as endangered under the Endangered Species Act because the species is "foreign listed" and no purebred wood bison currently exist in the United States.

Introduction of endangered species (lynx in Colorado and bighorn sheep in California) has previously resulted in Endangered Species Act listings that negatively affected development activities in those states.

Wood bison presence in the Minto Flats and Nenana Basin would preclude oil and gas exploration activities planned by Doyon, Ltd. and other landowners, and would negatively impact potential state revenue and funding to the Alaska Mental Health Trust and University of Alaska.