Legislators are looking into the Alaska Department of Natural Resources move to change their mission statement. Representative Berta Gardner is the democratic whip in the House representing midtown Anchorage. She says legislators have asked for a research report on the matter.
“The legislature has the power to set the mission of each department. And historically the legislature has renewed that every year, but apparently several years ago, did not do it. To me it seems pretty clear by statute that the legislature sets the department's missions. And I haven't seen any statute that says that if we fail to do so on an annual basis, that they can do it themselves, that's not in statute,” Gardner said.
Sullivan's staff claim, "According to the Department of Law, it is OK for a department to set a mission statement in the absence of the legislature doing so. The last legislatively approved mission statement expired in 2003."
DNR Commissioner, Dan Sullivan issued a new mission statement on January 17th. The old statement read that DNR's mission was, “To develop, conserve and enhance natural resources for present and future Alaskans.” The words conserve and enhance have been dropped in the new statement along with the reference to “future Alaskans.”