Nikishka Beach access restored

By MAYOR DAVE CAREY

Published in the Seward Phoenix LOG
Mar 11th, 2010

Editor's note: For the past two years Kenai Peninsula residents have been blocked from accessing the beach along Cook Inlet via Nikishka Beach Road by Offshore Systems Kenai's security checkpoints. As of today, access has been restored.

MAYOR DAVE CAREY

For The Seward Phoenix Log

I was very pleased to be back in court the morning of today on behalf of the residents of the borough and the citizens of Alaska regarding the constitutional right to access natural resources.

The statement this morning by Superior Court Judge Moran upholding the right of our citizens to access the Cook Inlet by way of an access road, which has been used since before statehood, is the result of a great deal of time, effort and resources by the state and the borough.

I am pleased that access is to be restored today. The state and the borough staff will conscientiously review the final order and judgment when they are handed down to fully understanding the direction and implications of the decision. I am also aware that an appeal may be filed by Offshore Systems Kenai, the party which did not prevail.

I wish to thank the state employees for their work and also especially thank Scott Bloom and Marcus Mueller from the borough. This has been a two and a half year legal discussion and it is my hope that this issue is resolved.