00            CS FOR SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16(RES)                                                             
01 Requesting the Governor to investigate and report to the legislature regarding the                                      
02 development of large coal power plants and associated electric grids to provide energy to                               
03 residents of the state.                                                                                                 
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS the quality of life of the residents of the state is threatened by high                                 
06 energy costs; and                                                                                                       
07       WHEREAS many residents of the state are struggling to provide for their basic needs;                            
08 and                                                                                                                     
09       WHEREAS federal actions consistently slow, impede, or stop the development of the                               
10 energy resources of the state; and                                                                                      
11       WHEREAS the United States Environmental Protection Agency continues to                                          
12 disregard the science-based permitting process of the state; and                                                        
13       WHEREAS the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has closed the most                                         
14 productive portions of the coastal plain of the state, preventing the pipelines and existing                            
15 infrastructure of the state from being wisely utilized; and                                                             

01       WHEREAS the development of a large coal power plant and associated electrical grid                              
02 in the state would provide energy to residents of the state; and                                                        
03       WHEREAS the residents of the state need access to the resources of the state;                                   
04       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the                                      
05 Governor to investigate, without regard to federal permits or restrictions, the development of                          
06 large coal power plants and associated electric grids to provide energy to residents of the state                       
07 to heat their homes and keep their lights on; and be it                                                                 
08       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests the Governor to                                     
09 evaluate and report back to the legislature on the feasibility of locating a large coal power                           
10 plant                                                                                                                   
11            (1)  on state or university land adjacent to hundreds of years' worth of coal                                
12 reserves in the Alaska Range;                                                                                           
13            (2)  on state land adjacent to the vast coal resources of Cook Inlet; and                                    
14            (3)  on state or Alaska Native regional corporation land adjacent to many                                    
15 hundreds of years' worth of coal reserves in the western Brooks Range; and be it                                        
16       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests the Governor to                                     
17 report back to the legislature on                                                                                   
18            (1)  the potential costs of coal plants ranging in size from 200 megawatts to                                
19 two gigawatts of electricity generation;                                                                                
20            (2)  the cost of a kilowatt of coal-generated energy in comparison to                                        
21 hydroelectric, natural gas, and other energy sources;                                                                   
22            (3)  the technological potential for transmission of coal-generated energy,                                  
23 including high-voltage direct current, and how that transmission might provide for the needs                            
24 of residents of the state not part of the Railbelt power grid;                                                          
25            (4)  how a large mine-mouth coal plant might help balance future needs of the                                
26 state with hydroelectric and other types of power generation.