Enrolled HCR 23: Establishing and relating to the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission.
00Enrolled HCR 23 01 Establishing and relating to the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. 02 _______________ 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS the Arctic is warming at twice the global rate, resulting in the loss of 05 perennial sea ice and changes to the terrestrial environment; and 06 WHEREAS scientists recently predicted that, in 30 to 40 years, there will no longer 07 be summer sea ice in the Arctic; and 08 WHEREAS reduced sea ice is affecting polar route navigation by opening oceans 09 previously frozen year-round; and 10 WHEREAS the loss of sea ice will bring new opportunities for mineral extraction, oil 11 and gas development, fisheries, tourism, and marine shipping; and 12 WHEREAS the Arctic might contain one-quarter of the world's untapped petroleum 13 reserves; and 14 WHEREAS Norway, Canada, Russia, and Denmark are making or preparing to make 15 claims to the Arctic seafloor under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and 16 are increasing their scientific research on and offshore exploration for minerals and oil and 17 gas; and
01 WHEREAS Canada and Russia are increasing their military presence in the Arctic 02 and are planning to build infrastructure to support that increased military presence; and 03 WHEREAS both Arctic and non-Arctic countries are increasing their presence in the 04 Arctic and are building or planning to build additional infrastructure, including ports, safe 05 harbors, search and rescue centers, and icebreakers and other Arctic-capable vessels; and 06 WHEREAS the waters of Northern Alaska are of national security and strategic 07 importance to the United States and the state; and 08 WHEREAS, because of national security concerns, the United States Coast Guard is 09 increasing its presence in the North and has plans to build new infrastructure to support its 10 heightened activity, including housing and office facilities and possibly including a deepwater 11 port; and 12 WHEREAS Northern Alaska contains important mineral and other resources, both in 13 state waters and on the outer continental shelf; and 14 WHEREAS local communities, businesses, the state, and the natural resources upon 15 which they rely will be affected by commercial activities and resource development in the 16 Arctic, and each has a significant stake in the nature and course of those activities and 17 development; and 18 WHEREAS climate changes in the Arctic affect the habitat, accessibility, and 19 viability of fish and wildlife species that local communities rely on for nutritional and cultural 20 purposes; and 21 WHEREAS Norway, Canada, Russia, Denmark, and other countries have formal 22 Arctic policies on or strategies for future development in the Arctic; and 23 WHEREAS the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have developed a shared 24 northern vision to guide development in the Canadian Arctic; and 25 WHEREAS this state is the only Arctic state in the United States; and 26 WHEREAS the state does not have a comprehensive plan for the northern waters of 27 Alaska; and 28 WHEREAS the state does not have a comprehensive Arctic policy; and 29 WHEREAS a comprehensive policy to address the Arctic areas of the state, including 30 the economic, ecological, and security effects, will benefit the state and its residents; and 31 WHEREAS it is the policy of the United States government to involve the indigenous
01 communities of the Arctic in decisions that affect those communities; 02 BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Alaska Arctic Policy 03 Commission is created in the legislative branch and shall consist of 20 members and four 04 alternate members as follows: 05 (1) three senators appointed by the President of the Senate, one member being 06 from the minority; 07 (2) three representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of 08 Representatives, one member being from the minority; 09 (3) 13 members appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the 10 Speaker of the House of Representatives as follows, of which the members appointed under 11 (B) - (M) of this paragraph shall be residents of the state: 12 (A) one member representing the federal government; 13 (B) one member representing a tribal entity; 14 (C) one member representing the mining industry; 15 (D) one member representing the oil and gas industry; 16 (E) one member representing an accredited university or college in 17 Alaska, who has a background in Arctic science; 18 (F) one member representing fisheries; 19 (G) one member from a local government or an association of a local 20 government; 21 (H) one member from a coastal community with experience in a 22 coastal management program; 23 (I) one member representing an international Arctic organization; 24 (J) one member of a conservation group; 25 (K) one member representing the marine transportation and logistics 26 industry; 27 (L) one member representing a Native corporation organized under 43 28 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act); 29 (M) one member representing marine pilots licensed under AS 08.62; 30 (4) one member representing the executive branch of state government, 31 appointed by the Governor;
01 (5) four alternate members as follows: 02 (A) two members appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and 03 the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall be a resident of the 04 state and meet at least one of the qualifications of a regular member appointed jointly 05 by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 06 (B) one senator appointed by the President of the Senate; 07 (C) one representative appointed by the Speaker of the House of 08 Representatives; and be it 09 FURTHER RESOLVED that a vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the 10 manner of the original appointment; and be it 11 FURTHER RESOLVED that the representatives on the commission shall select one 12 cochair from the representative members, and the senators on the commission shall select one 13 cochair from the senator members; and the cochairs may assign staff to provide support to the 14 commission; and be it 15 FURTHER RESOLVED that the public members and, if the member representing 16 the federal government does not receive reimbursement for expenses from the federal 17 government, the federal government member of the commission may receive per diem and 18 travel expenses authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180; and be it 19 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission may meet during and between 20 legislative sessions, and the duties of the commission include the following: 21 (1) conduct hearings and take public testimony throughout the state to fulfill 22 the purpose of the commission; 23 (2) develop an Arctic policy for the state and produce a strategy for the 24 implementation of an Arctic policy; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall provide recommendations 26 regarding Arctic policy and shall deliver a preliminary report of its findings to the legislature 27 by January 30, 2014, and deliver a final report to the legislature on January 30, 2015, together 28 with legislative proposals for consideration; and be it 29 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall be available for legislative 30 hearings regarding its final report and recommendations; and be it 31 FURTHER RESOLVED that the continuation or termination of the commission
01 shall be reevaluated during the First Regular Session of the Twenty-Ninth Alaska State 02 Legislature.