by Bella Hammond, Lake Clark, and Lowell Thomas, Anchorage

There have been many heart-warming ideas for honoring former Gov. Jay Hammond since his untimely passing in 2005. We deeply believe that creation of the Jay Hammond State Game Refuge out of state lands in the Bristol Bay watershed is a most appropriate way to honor his memory and put into practice Jay's philosophy of resource management, which has worked so well throughout the state. His concepts of cooperative management provide more control for all interests than agency domination ever could.

Senate Bill 67, sponsored by Kodiak Sen. Gary Stevens, will create this refuge while empowering local inhabitants and their representative governments and corporations to decide what mix of development and fish and wildlife protection best provides for peace and prosperity in a particular place. The fishing, mining and recreation industries will have votes on the management council.

We have supported creation of the Hammond Refuge from the beginning and thank Sen. Gary Stevens for introducing SB 67. However, we have not been able to get a hearing on this bill because some fear that such a special area designation would restrict full development of the lands included. The bill would require higher levels of effort to restrict byproducts of large projects that might harm fish and wildlife resources.

To those who viewed any controls on land use as "lockups," Jay used to say that such were "lock opens" for the people and a multitude of public uses that would be foreclosed when exclusive rights of consumptive use are given to one industry or another.

Both as legislator and governor, Jay is given credit not only for being a driving force behind creation of the Permanent Fund and the dividend program, but also for his valid notion that when sufficiently protected, fish and wildlife resources constitute yet another permanent fund on which Alaskans rely for jobs and sustenance. These jobs don't need the subsidies that come along with extractive developments -- the roads, ports and power, all at public expense. Honoring Jay Hammond with passage of SB 67 will extend his protective embrace to his home ground in a most appropriate manner. Alaskans, please call your state senator and ask him or her to support it.