By admin 
Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday vetoed two environmental-protection bills that had passed with broad bipartisan support from legislators.
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Dunleavy vetoed a bill to establish an invasive species council, Senate Bill 174, that was intended to be similar to coordinating organizations managing invasive species in other states, and a bill to ban restaurants’ use of polystyrene containers, House Bill 25.
Dunleavy, in veto messages, characterized both bills as overly burdensome and unnecessary expansions of government.
The invasive species bill would have established a council within the Department of Fish and Game to coordinate efforts that participants say are currently too disjointed to be as effective as they could be.
It was supported by numerous science and resource organizations, including the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership, a coalition of agencies and organizations that try to combat invasive species.
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In a letter to lawmakers, the partnership’s chair said the board strongly backed the bill. “This legislation represents a vital step toward strengthening the coordination, education, and actions needed to protect Alaska’s environment, economy, and public health from the growing threat of invasive species,” the letter said.
It passed the Senate unanimously on May 8 and it passed the House by a 35-5 vote on May 19. In addition to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, 14 other senators from both parties and 11 Democratic, Republican and independent House members signed on as cosponsors.
But Dunleavy, in his , said there is no need to add new invasive species duties to the Department of Fish and Game.
“Rather than strengthening direct operational capacity, the bill adds a formal advisory layer that is not necessary for the department to continue its efforts,” Dunleavy said in his veto message.
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