Alaska, the World & Wally Hickel

This fascinating documentary offers a nuanced look at a politician who embodied a bundle of contradictions on the issue of environmental policy but saw himself as a visionary. Walter “Wally” Hickel survived Dust Bowl poverty to eventually become a millionaire developer in Alaska. A fierce advocate of Alaskan sovereignty and exploitation of its resources during the early 1960s, Hickel took on the federal government, which controlled 90 percent of Alaska's territory. As governor, Hickel tried to roll over native peoples living on lands he wanted to lease to oil companies, and the discovery of massive deposits beneath Prudhoe Bay gave him leverage while also bringing enormous wealth to the state. Environmental tragedy ensued, and when the Nixon administration tapped Hickel to become Secretary of the Interior, many detractors cried foul. Yet, Hickel oddly turned out to be a champion for various causes, shutting down offshore-California drilling rigs following a catastrophic leak, and taking on air and water polluters. Hickel even became a target of Nixon's wrath after writing a letter protesting the shooting of college students by National Guardsmen at Kent State University; he also asked that Vice President Spiro Agnew stop condemning young anti-war protestors. Alaska, the World & Wally Hickel goes on to cover Hickel's later controversial actions in a second term as Alaska's chief executive, while also trying to explain Hickel's vision of partnership between governments and private enterprise as a way to end hunger and poverty. Offering an interesting biography of a complicated man, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)