2003-03-12                     House Journal                      Page 0515
HB 192                                                                                            
HOUSE BILL NO. 192 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                       
the Governor, entitled:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
     "An Act designating the Department of Natural Resources as lead                                
     agency for resource development projects; making conforming                                    
     amendments; and providing for an effective date."                                              
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Resources and Finance                                   
Committees.                                                                                         
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                 
                                                                                                    
1.  Fiscal, Dept. of Natural Resources                                                              
                                                                                                    
The Governor's transmittal letter dated March 11, 2003, follows:                                    
                                                                                                    
"Dear Speaker Kott:                                                                                 
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill designating the Department of Natural Resources                                 
(DNR) as the lead state agency in the permitting of resource                                        
development projects in this state.                                                                 
                                                                                                    

2003-03-12                     House Journal                      Page 0516
The purpose of this bill is to facilitate and expedite resource                                     
development in Alaska.  In recent years, the laws governing resource                                
development have proliferated, and there are now more agencies than                                 
ever with permitting authority over large projects.  Resource                                       
development should not be held up by the sheer complexity of                                        
government.  This bill is intended to alleviate that problem.                                       
                                                                                                    
This bill would authorize the DNR to lead and coordinate the                                        
permitting activities of all agencies with jurisdiction over the project                            
and would repeal existing statutes in AS 46.35 regarding permit                                     
coordination.  The result of the DNR's efforts as lead agency will be                               
better communication, more efficient permitting, consolidated public                                
process, and stable funding for the state's permitting process.                                     
                                                                                                    
The repeal of the AS 46.35 provisions necessitates the relocation of                                
unrelated language, specific to Department of Environmental                                         
Conservation permit decisions, to more appropriate locations in                                     
AS 46.03 and AS 46.04, as set out in secs. 2 and 3 of the bill.                                     
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
                                Sincerely,                                                         
                                /s/                                                                 
                                Frank H. Murkowski                                                  
                                Governor"