03/08/2010 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

                   HB 306-STATE ENERGY POLICY                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:08:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  NEUMAN announced  that the  last order  of business  is                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 306,  "An Act declaring  a state  energy policy."                                                               
[Before the committee was CSHB 306(ENE).]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:09:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CHARISSE   MILLETT,  Alaska   State  Legislature,                                                               
explained  that during  the House  Special Committee  on Energy's                                                               
travels  across  the state  it  was  brought to  the  committee's                                                               
attention that the state of Alaska  is one of the very few states                                                               
that does  not have policy  for energy in  statute.  Not  only is                                                               
Alaska energy anemic, it is deficient  in its energy needs as far                                                               
as a policy statement.   A comprehensive energy policy in statute                                                               
would  serve as  a  first blueprint  for  future generations  for                                                               
energy legislation and would be  the first step in codifying what                                                               
the goals are for the state of Alaska.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
6:10:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON   added  that  everywhere   the  committee                                                               
travelled it was  heard that an energy policy was  a top priority                                                               
for local  communities, organizations,  and other entities.   The                                                               
committee also  discovered that a  number of regions  are putting                                                               
together  energy  plans without  the  benefit  of an  overarching                                                               
statewide energy  policy.  The bill  is the product of  The House                                                               
Energy  Stakeholders Group,  he pointed  out.   Since the  1970s,                                                               
energy policies  have come and  gone in  the state, with  most of                                                               
these   policies  focused   on  electricity.     Now,   with  the                                                               
convergence  of a  number of  energy-related concerns,  he thinks                                                               
the state has  the political will and  determination statewide to                                                               
come forth with an overarching policy  to be put into statute for                                                               
use as a roadmap going forward.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
6:12:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR NEUMAN,  in response to Representative  Millett, said he                                                               
would like to  postpone the actual presentation of the  bill to a                                                               
another time when the full committee is present.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
6:15:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT  noted that the House  Majority Caucus has                                                               
taken on this  bill and its Senate companion bill  as a priority.                                                               
Unique  about this  bill is  that it  was not  written by  her or                                                               
Representative  Edgmon;  it  was  written  by  stakeholders  from                                                               
throughout  the  state.   These  stakeholders,  experts on  every                                                               
aspect  of  energy  development in  the  state,  participated  in                                                               
approximately 9  meetings.  The bill  represents much cooperation                                                               
and give  and take from all  sectors of the energy  realm.  Thus,                                                               
while   she   and   Representative  Edgmon   are   carrying   the                                                               
legislation, it is truly a bill from the citizens.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GUTTENBERG  thanked Representatives  Millett  and                                                               
Edgmon for the  bill and noted that it is  a long-time coming and                                                               
will be the foundation for many things to come for many years.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:17:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON said this policy  wraps its arms around the                                                               
fact that  Alaska is a  resource development state.   He provided                                                               
an overview of  the bill:  page 1 states  the legislative intent;                                                               
page  2 provides  the declaration  of state  energy policy  which                                                               
recognizes that  everything the state does  economically is built                                                               
around having affordable energy; and  page 3 talks about training                                                               
and  education programs,  applied energy  research, establishment                                                               
of an oversight agency, and  collaboration with federal agencies.                                                               
He  said he  and Representative  Millett  are proud  of the  work                                                               
product that has come out of the stakeholders group.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
6:20:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON, in  response  to  Co-Chair Neuman,  noted                                                               
that the stakeholders will be  providing specifics of the bill to                                                               
the committee members.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON  stated that moving  HB 306 is important  to him                                                               
personally.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:22:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GUTTENBERG allowed  that  the  concept of  energy                                                               
codes  [page 2,  line 13]  is a  hot-button issue.   However,  he                                                               
continued, it is  important to note that the  specifics of energy                                                               
codes are  left out  of the  bill; therefore  it could  be state,                                                               
federal,  or  lending agency  energy  codes.   The  bill's  broad                                                               
nature is what he likes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MILLETT  pointed  out  that  building  codes  for                                                               
Alaska will  look much  different than those  for New  York City.                                                               
It  is much  better for  people in  Alaska to  be the  writers of                                                               
those  energy codes  and  for Alaska  to take  the  lead in  this                                                               
rather than the federal government.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:23:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR NEUMAN held over HB 306.