Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, with Assistant Attorney General Janell Hafner looking on, speaks during a news conference in Juneau, Alaska, about the U.S. Supreme Court decision siding with Alaska moose hunter John Sturgeon in his case against the National Park Service. The court on Tuesday unanimously threw out a lower court ruling that upheld enforcement of National Park Service rules banning the use of hovercraft on the river when it runs through the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. (AP Photo/Rashah McChesney)

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, with Assistant Attorney General Janell Hafner looking on, speaks during a news conference in Juneau, Alaska, about the U.S. Supreme Court decision siding with Alaska moose hunter John Sturgeon in his case against the National Park Service. The court on Tuesday unanimously threw out a lower court ruling that upheld enforcement of National Park Service rules banning the use of hovercraft on the river when it runs through the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. (AP Photo/Rashah McChesney)

Supreme Court ruling praised as win for Alaska

Taking a break from the normal run of bad budgetary news, Gov. Bill Walker and four members of the Alaska Legislature held a press conference to announce some good news: The U.S. Supreme Court’s 8-0 ruling in favor of an Alaska moose hunter.

“It’s a good day,” Gov. Bill Walker said Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in the case Sturgeon v. Frost, which pitted an Alaska man against the National Park Service.

At issue is who has jurisdiction over rivers running through national preserves and parks: the state or the federal government.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The Supreme Court declined to decide that core issue, but it still sided with John Sturgeon, the Alaska hunter, and ordered the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals to reconsider its decision in favor of the Park Service.

The Supreme Court opinion stated that “Alaska is often the exception, not the rule” when it comes to federal regulation, something Alaska’s public officials have stated for years.

“They’ve said Alaska is unique,” Walker said. “You can’t take a broad brush … and include Alaska in it.”

While the court’s decision is limited, the governor and lawmakers said they hope it will be an example for future cases in which federal and state interests conflict.

“I think this is going to be a precedent for us in many years to come,” said Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole.

Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, said that while the decision was good news, it’s important to view it in context.

He provided an analogy to sports: “This is like the first game in a very long season. … You celebrate today, but you prepare for the next one.”

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, also looked to sports for an analogy, but chose boxing. “Today’s ruling wasn’t the KO punch we were looking for in our fight against the massive overreach of the National Park Service, but it was a small victory for Alaska and the unique relationship we share with the federal government,” he wrote in a statement.

Democrats also had positive things to say about the decision. In a press release Tuesday, Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said, “I am pleased by the common sense, unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Sturgeon v. Frost case. … It is a victory for those living a subsistence lifestyle, hunters, and fishermen across Alaska.”

The 9th Circuit, the largest appeals court in the United States, is the conduit for federal cases coming out of Alaska but has a reputation for liberal decisions and having those decisions overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Western Governors’ Association and Alaska’s Congressional delegation have joined the national call for splitting the 9th Circuit and creating a 10th Circuit to handle demand.

“That has not gained legs much,” Walker said, “but we would certainly support that.”

More in News

Volunteers repair the trails at Erik Hansen Scout Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Volunteers revitalize Kenai scout park

Kenai’s Erik Hansen Scout Park overlooks the mouth of the Kenai River in Old Town.

Traffic passes by South Spruce Street in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Planning commission withholds support for Spruce Street name change

A city council proposal would change the name to Kenai Beach Street.

Council member Jordan Chilson speaks during a Soldotna City Council work session on the Soldotna Field House in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna council rejects effort to change meeting times

A resolution calling for meetings to bumped up from 6 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Swimmers and parents protest the proposed closure of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District pools outside of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Pool funding OK’d as district looks to hand off facilities to communities

School pools have repeatedly been raised as a possible option for closure and then saved at the last minute.

The Cowles Council Chambers are seen in Homer City Hall on Pioneer Avenue in April 2025 in Homer, Alaska. (Homer News file photo)
Homer mayor recognizes Parks and Recreation Month, ADA Awareness Day

Parks and recreation areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of the community, the proclamation said.

Seal pup PV2511 poses for a photograph on June 14, 2025 at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward, Alaska. She was rescued by the site of a "popular fishing spot" in Homer on June 12, 2025. (Photo courtesy of ASLC)
SeaLife Center urges public to leave seal pups alone, after a recent uptick in admits

If you see a hurt or disabled pup, call the Stranded Marine Animal Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL (7325).

Aspen Creek Senior Living residents, dressed as the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam, roll down the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, during the Fourth of July Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai to celebrate Independence Day with annual parade

The Kenai Fourth of July parade is set to start at 11 a.m. on Trading Bay Road.

Most Read