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Juneau's legislative delegation is asking Gov. Sarah Palin to reconsider her decision to deny a disaster declaration for Juneau, after avalanches took away its hydroelectric supply and left it reliant on expensive diesel backup generators.

Sen. Kim Elton, D-Juneau, said there's a precedent for declaring a disaster based on economics, despite the recommendation against that by the governor's Disaster Policy Cabinet last week.

"We believe the Disaster Policy Cabinet erred by defining a disaster too narrowly," the legislators wrote.

Elton and the other legislators cited other instances in which an economic disaster was recognized by the state, including recently when Palin went to the aid of Matanuska Maid, a financially troubled state dairy.

Sharon Leighow, the governor's spokeswoman, said Palin received the delegation's letter.

"The governor is continuing discussions on this issue with members of her Cabinet," Leighow said.

The Juneau legislators - Elton and Democratic Reps. Beth Kerttula and Andrea Doll - cited the 1997 decision by then-Gov. Tony Knowles to issue a disaster declaration after the Western Alaska fisheries disaster.

That declaration helped bring in $6 million in state money and $18 million in federal money, the legislators said.

Palin's family has a long history in the Bristol Bay area and is likely well aware of that region's issues, they said.

While the Matanuska Maid situation involved an economic setback for a smaller group of Alaskans, it shows Palin understands the implications of economic hardship, the Juneau legislators said.

The state provided $600,000 in emergency assistance for the troubled dairy.

The Disaster Policy Cabinet relied on advice from Attorney General Talis Colberg in determining that the Snettisham avalanches did not qualify Juneau for disaster assistance under state law, according to Gen. Craig Campbell, chairman of the Cabinet and commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Palin announced shortly thereafter that she supported that decision.

Elton disputed that, but said he had not seen the Cabinet's written findings.

Members of the Palin administration declined to provide specifics of Colberg's advice to the Cabinet.

Campbell's spokesman, McHugh Pierre, referred questions about the legal advice to the Department of Law, saying it had produced it.

Assistant Attorney General Mike Mitchell said the public was not entitled to know what advice was given because legal recommendations were exempt from public disclosure.

"Advice to the Disaster Policy Cabinet is privileged, unless there is a waiver," he said.

Pierre did not respond to further requests.

He declined to say why the Palin administration would want to keep that information secret, referring further questions to Colberg, who did not call back.

Elton said Juneau legislators and their staffs have had difficulty getting information as well. The delegation's letter urged Palin to hold off final action on a disaster declaration until the Disaster Policy Cabinet's recommendations are available.

The delegation's letter concluded by offering to take Palin, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, or others to view the disaster or to provide her with information about the Juneau power crisis.

• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.