www.90yearsofvision.com

As Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation during 1990-1994; Governor Hickel always made it clear that Alaskans and Alaska’s communities “came first” – and that Alaska would not be initimidated by “outside” interests or experts who “knew what was best for Alaska” and our Arctic environment ! When an Environmental Protection Agency official from the EPA Regional Office in Seattle directed Alaska initiate legal against Alaska’s rural villages for not meeting safe drinking water and sewage treatment statutes and regulations – the EPA was challenged to partner with Alaska and its rural villages to begin a program of bringing safe water and sanitation facilities to all of Alaska’s 225 rural villages. Such a partnership was formed during Governor Hickel’s 1990-1994 term and this partnership has continued to this day through the work of the Denali Commision. When the EPA mandated Alaska require the use of MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) as an Alaska gas additive to provide the citizens of Fairbanks and Anchorage with “cleaner air” – thousands of Alaskan’s using fuel with this MTBE additive became nauseated and ill. Governor Hickel suspended continued use of MTBE in Fairbanks and initiated legal action to block EPA’s required use of MTBE in Alaska’s arctic environment. MTBE was subsequently confirmed to be a carcinogen, and many “stateside” communities have had to cleanup ground-water contamination from service stations that had implemented EPA’s mandated use of MTBE. While Wally Hickel was Governor, the “people and all of Alaska’s communities came first” ! John Sandor DEC Commissioner 1990-1994

Govenor Hickel: We need you to take a swing at a third term as Govenor. You, Irmalee and Pat Ryan would be a formidable trio for these youngesters we have running the State now.

Our very best wishes to you, Sir. Your leadership and wisdom have left an indelible mark on Alaska’s history. We need your written word as often as possible to try to make some sense in all of this.

Happy 90th and many more.

Jim Weber

The first time I met Governor Hickel was when I was working at the Crow’s Nest. As he was leaving he stated, matter of factly, “Man that dinner was as good as the Crow’s Nest”.