Number: 1980-19
WHEREAS, the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) in Alaska is the only research support facility maintained throughout the year in the Arctic region of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Naval Research has traditionally operated the NARL as a national facility rather than serving naval interests alone; and
WHEREAS, NARL provides logistical support for the Arctic Beaufort and Chukchi Sea studies of the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program which consists of 30 projects addressing Alaska’s northern coastal zones; and
WHEREAS, Project Whales, a Bureau of Land Management program designed to investigate impacts of oil and gas development on the endangered whale species sighted near oil lease sites began at the NARL in 1978; and
WHEREAS, NARL maintains an animal research facility for the study of native Alaska mammals under simulated natural habitat conditions; and
WHEREAS, various field substations are maintained by NARL in northern Alaska which are used by various researchers; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Naval Research has informed other branches of the Federal Government that the majority of the research conducted at NARL is non-naval and due to budgetary constraints the funding and responsibility for NARL must be assumed by another Department; and
WHEREAS, Arctic development is proceeding at a rapid rate; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary that the impacts of oil and gas exploration, development, and transportation on the Arctic environment including impacts on wildlife be assessed;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 20-23, 1980, in Miami Beach, Fla., recognizes the importance of Arctic environmental research programs and the necessity of the NARL as a support facility for such studies, and believes that the future role of the NARL facility should include as a major responsibility research which can minimize human degradation of the Arctic environment, including its wildlife resources, and that suitable level of Federal funding to continue the program should be authorized and funded.