2022-03-14                     House Journal                      Page 2081
HB 398                                                                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 398 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                   
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act requiring the designation of outstanding national resource                                                         
     water to occur only by statute; relating to the management of                                                              
     outstanding national resource water by the Department of                                                                   
     Environmental Conservation; and providing for an effective date."                                                          
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on                                                          
Fisheries and the Resources Committee.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1.  Zero, Dept. of Environmental Conservation                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated March 10 follows:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker Stutes:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to designation of                                                               
Outstanding National Resource Waters (Tier III) in Alaska.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The Environmental Protection Agency requires that states have a                                                                 
process by which an ''Outstanding National Resource Water,'' or a Tier                                                          
III water, may be designated, and has approved the Department of                                                                
Environmental Conservation's policy to direct nominations for Tier III                                                          
waters to the Legislature. The designation of a Tier III water includes                                                         
significant use restrictions and requires substantial evaluations on that                                                       
water and would exceed the Department's statutory authority to                                                                  
regulate the quality and purity of the water.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
This bill would establish that a Tier III water may only be designated                                                          
in statute, and water may not be managed as Tier III waters unless they                                                         
have been designated.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

2022-03-14                     House Journal                      Page 2082
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor"