Municipality of Skagway
GATEWAY TO THE KLONDIKE
P.O. BOX 415
SKAGWAY, ALASKA 99840
(PHONE) 907-983-2297 – Fax 907-983-2151
WWW.SKAGWAY.ORG
DRAFT
May 5, 2017
The Honorable Donny Olson
Alaska State Legislature
Room 510
State Capitol Building
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
RE:
Support of Senate Joint Resolution No. 4
Dear Senator Olson:
The Municipality of Skagway would like to express its support for Senate Joint Resolution No. 4,
urging the Alaska Congressional delegation to introduce legislation providing for the exemption
of legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory from laws that ban the sale, use, and
possession of ivory.
The ban of legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory would impact our community
adversely, as the promotion and sale of art made from these items is an economic driver for our
local businesses. We recognize the importance of preserving this form of Alaskan art, and
banning the sale, use, and possession of these materials will affect Native and non-Native artists
who depend on the sale of ivory handicrafts to support themselves and the local economy, and
to attract visitors to Alaska.
The ban of walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory does not contribute towards the protection
of elephants, rhinoceroses, and other endangered animals, and the Municipality of Skagway
supports the exemption of these materials from any law that bans the sale, use, and possession
of ivory.
Thank you for your consideration,
Mark Schaefer
Borough Mayor
cc:
Senator Dennis Egan
Representative Sam Kito
Dear Skagway Assembly,
As many of you have heard there is a Total Ivory Ban that is circulating state by state. Five states have
adopted it without question, many have denied it. The premise of this ban is to protect elephants, rhinos, and
other endangered animals, which we can all agree need help. The problem: it proposes to totally ban all
ivory regardless of origin, including the fossil walrus and mammoth ivories that so many of us in Skagway
depend on. This does nothing to protect elephants and rhinos!
Skagway has a long history of carving and restoring mammoth tusks going all the way back to Herman
Kirmse. Today fossil ivory is the life blood for many families, individuals and retailers in Skagway, throughout
the US and the world. Fossil ivory work is part of the fabric that gives Skagway it’s unique character. Bill
SJR4 proposes to exempt Alaska’s ethical ivories from this ban. We are asking the state of Alaska to show
pride in its history of ethical ivory use, We are asking the assembly to adopt a resolution of support for bill
SJR4.
Thank you, Bruce Schindler
Tina Cyr, Ralf Gorichanaz, Jack Inhofe, Jeannie Vogel, Candace Cahill, the entire Wassman family, Tom
Lux, Cara Cosgrove, Bruce Weber, Donna Griffard, Steve Stegal, Janet Mitchell,
30-LS0109\D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY SENATORS OLSON, Gardner, Begich, Stedman, Bishop, Egan
Introduced: 2/1/17
Referred: Community and Regional Affairs, Resources
A RESOLUTION
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Urging the Alaska Congressional delegation to introduce bills to provide for the
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exemption of legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory from laws that
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ban the sale, use, and possession of ivory.
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
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WHEREAS the Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 - 1423h) explicitly
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protects the right of coastal Alaska Natives to harvest walrus and use the walrus byproducts in
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handicrafts for sale in the United States; and
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WHEREAS the use by Alaska Natives of legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and
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mastodon ivory to create tools, handicrafts, jewelry, and artwork is a longstanding tradition
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that is a vital component of current Alaska Native culture; and
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WHEREAS the sale of walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory tools, handicrafts,
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jewelry, and artwork by Alaska Natives is an important source of income in the cash-limited
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economy of rural Alaska; and
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WHEREAS, in the effort to stop the poaching of African elephants, certain states in
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the United States have passed laws banning the sale, use, and possession of all ivory, and
SJR004A
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SJR 4
30-LS0109\D
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other states are considering enacting those laws; and
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WHEREAS the laws banning the sale, use, and possession of ivory in certain states of
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the United States do not distinguish between African elephant ivory and the legally acquired
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walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory used by Alaska Native artists; and
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WHEREAS the laws banning the sale, use, and possession of ivory may subject
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residents of certain states to criminal charges for buying, owning, or bringing home legally
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acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory items from Alaska; and
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WHEREAS the laws banning the sale, use, and possession of ivory in certain states
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adversely affect those Alaska Native artists who depend on the sale of ivory handicrafts to
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obtain the cash necessary to live in cash-limited local economies;
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BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes the inclusion of walrus,
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mammoth, and mastodon ivory in current and future laws that ban the sale, use, and
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possession of ivory; and be it
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FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests that the Alaska
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Congressional delegation introduce bills in the United States Congress to provide for the
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exemption of legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory from current and future
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laws that ban the sale, use, and possession of ivory.
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COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the
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Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative,
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members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
SJR 4
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SJR004A