July 05, 2007
Thursday PM

This is a retort to Malcolm Menzies, DOT&PF Southeast Regional Director. I do appreciate the additional information that further fuels my opposition to the Gravina Island 3.2 miles road project that will cost the Alaskans and American tax payers 25.7 million dollars. I want to make a few clarifications on some of your points.

Correct me if I am wrong, didn't Seley, Inc recently build a 3 or 4 miles of new road on Gravina Island from Seley's lumber mill to Lewis Reef Point? The timber industry is going to directly benefit from this proposed public road construction.

The public road will access only 1,000 acres of a few privately owned lands. Why should Alaskans and American tax payer pay for access road for a few individuals? Let the land developers take all the risks with their own money for this proposed road on Gravina Island.

"Gravina Access Project is the Ketchikan Gateway Borough master plan, developed by the community leaders with public input and open deliberation". I strongly disagree with that statement. The only people that attended these public meetings were politicians, Gravina land owners and land developers that all have a conflict of interest. Who says these local politicians or so called leaders are making any right decisions? The Republican gravy train is over!

Gravina Island should remain pristine and remain a subsistence use land for hikers, campers, hunters, fishing in pristine streams and for the tourist to see. We have to worry about environmental impact issues of sediment and erosion problems in spawning streams, wetlands, and muskegs and encroachment on the wildlife that is slowly disappearing and being destroyed. My family since time and memorial had a summer fish camp that belongs to Gaanax adi Clan of the Taan ta Kwaan on Gravina Island.

One thing I do agree with Mr. Menzies about is it costs Alaskans and American taxpayers a lot of money for road construction in Alaska. We can save 25.2 million dollars to more worthy road projects elsewhere in Ketchikan or Alaska. The road to nowhere is a more worthless proposed project than the bridge to nowhere.

In closing, I believe the rookie Governor Palin has made better and more important decisions by mistake in six months than ex-Governor Frank Murkowski did on purpose in his term as Governor of Alaska. I will hope Governor Palin will make another good decision by ceasing any funding for the proposed 3.2 mile road on Gravina Island. This is my own opinion.

Don Hoff Jr.
Unukriver[at]aol.com
Hixson, TN

Received July 05, 2007 - Published July 05, 2007

About: "Past City of Ketchikan City Vice Mayor and Councilman, Past Board of Director K.P.U., Past O.S.H.A. Board member/Chairman, State of Alaska, Past Councilman, Ketchikan Indian Community, Member of the Tongass Tribe (Taan ta Kwaan)indigenous to Ketchikan and surrounding lands and includes Gravina Island. An "American Taxpayer that is broke."

Related Viewpoint:

Gravina Road project By Malcom Menzies

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