2022-03-11                     Senate Journal                      Page 1991
SB 228                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 228 BY THE SENATE 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 Resources Committee.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Environmental                                                                           
  Conservation                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated March 10:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Micciche:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
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.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                

2022-03-11                     Senate Journal                      Page 1992
The Environmental Protection Agency requires that states have a                                                                 
process by which an “Outstanding Natural 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.                                                                        
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor