Legislature(2009 - 2010)BUTROVICH 205
04/15/2009 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing | |
| SJR22 | |
| HJR25 | |
| HB14 | |
| HJR27 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | SJR 22 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 14 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HCR 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 27 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HJR 25-HYDROELECTRIC POWER; RENEWABLE ENERGY
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of HJR 25. [CSHJR
25(ENE) AM was before the committee.]
4:26:43 PM
KACI SCHROEDER-HOTCH, staff to Representative Bill Thomas, said
HJR 25 asks Congress to include hydroelectric power in the
definition of renewable power.
4:27:26 PM
HAP SYMMONDS, Chair, Cordova Electric Coop, and representing
Cordova - Ocean Beauty Seafoods, said the coop has been trying
to get the federal government to classify hydroelectric
facilities as renewable for a number of years. The National
Rural Coop Association has classified hydro as a renewable
resource and will lobby congressional delegations of all 50
states. It has been impossible to get federal funding for hydro
unless it was by specific earmark and was virtually excluded
from the stimulus package. There should be no exceptions in this
resolution. Every hydro project is cited for a specific
watershed and each must be reviewed individually for the
environmental impact if there is any. Hydro projects are not
cookie-cutter projects like a coal or nuclear plant.
JODI MITCHELL, general manager and chief executive officer,
Inside Passage Electric Cooperative (IPEC), said IPEC provides
the Southeast Alaska villages of Angoon Hoonah, Kake, Klukwan
and the Chilkat Valley with diesel generation. Every year IPEC
seeks federal funding for projects to reduce the cost of power
for member owners. Recently Senator Murkowski's energy staff
said they had been unsuccessful in amending the stimulus bill
with respect to renewable energy for the benefit of Alaskans.
Had those amendments passed, Alaska may have been eligible for
millions of dollars for hydroelectric infrastructure. IPEC rates
last year peaked at more than 67 cents per kilowatt power.
"Obviously, federal stimulus funds could have meant long-term
clean and lower cost power for IPEC customers." This affects the
entire state.
4:30:38 PM
SENATOR WAGONER asked if the congressional delegation ran into
problems getting hydro approved as renewable because there
wasn't any interest or because hydro dams are not renewable.
MS. MITCHELL said she isn't sure, but there have been changes in
federal law that affects hydro classification. She believes it
relates to the types of dams that have been constructed and the
affect on fish habitat. In Alaska precautions are taken in
permitting projects to avoid those problems.
SENATOR WAGONER said he is not sure there is an answer.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said hydroelectric power generation is either
renewable or it's not. There may be political reasons for it not
passing, but that still doesn't clarify how it is not renewable
energy.
4:32:46 PM
TIM MCCLEOD, President and General Manager, Alaska Electric
Light and Power (AEL&P), Juneau, said AEL&P has been providing
hydroelectric power to Juneau since 1893. Some of the hydro
projects have been operating for over 100 years, fueled solely
by rain and snow, and are expected to continue to function for
the next century. Conditions in Alaska are favorable for hydro
projects. The environmental impacts are low compared to any
other resource. Hydro is excluded from the federal definition of
renewable energy for the purpose of discouraging further
development of new hydro resources. There may be locations
throughout the country where hydro should be discouraged, but
those concerns should be addressed individually during the
permitting process rather than the broad scope approach
discouraging hydro development nationwide. It's clear that no
consideration was given to Alaska when the federal government
chose to exclude hydro from the benefits that are given to other
renewable resources. Hydro projects in Alaska are some of the
cleanest and most environmentally friendly energy resources in
the world. In Southeast Alaska there are no alternative
resources with a lower environmental impact than hydro. In many
Alaska cases the only reasonable alternative to hydro is diesel.
Alaskans are currently deprived of the funding opportunities for
other renewable resources. The current status may jeopardize
Alaska's ability to comply with future renewable resource
portfolios, increasing costs to Alaska residents. AEL&P supports
HJR 25.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said it would be a cruel irony for Alaska to pay
penalties for not meeting a portfolio standard even though it
had renewable energy in the form of hydro.
4:35:35 PM
THOMAS BOLEN, Manager, Haines Borough, said the Haines Borough
and Skagway live on hydropower. At times hydropower is
insufficient so there is need for additional hydropower
development. Hydro resources are available but limitations on
federal funding hamper efforts to develop that hydropower. He
noted that hydropower has a bad reputation to some in the Lower
48 because it impedes river travel, disrupts fish migration, and
floods productive land. But the federal government needs to
understand that many hydro resources in Alaska are alpine lakes.
Usable lands are not flooded, fish migration is not impacted and
stream navigability is not interrupted. The fact that the
federal government does not recognize hydropower as a renewable
energy source curtails the ability to get funding to take
advantage of this free resource. The Haines Borough endorses
sending a resolution to the federal government to make a special
exemption for alpine lake hydropower development.
KATHLEEN MENKE, representing herself, Haines, said she has
equivalent to a master's degree in fisheries. She has followed
fishery and watershed projects for the last 30 years. Currently
she is in the uncomfortable position of contradicting some in
the Haines Borough but she feels there is need to give a heads
up to legislators about the controversy over local hydro
proposals. There are high alpine lakes in the upper Lynn Canal
that could have serious negative impacts to Alaska's wild fish
stocks. Her concern with HJR 25 is the lack of recognition of
wild fish stocks in Alaska. She proposed amendments to ensure
that there are few or no environmental impacts to wild fish
stocks. Clarify that hydroelectric projects are appropriate in
some, not all, areas. She pointed out that it is dangerous to
say that hydropower projects should be developed without
restriction. Development should occur when it can be shown that
negative impacts to wild stocks will not occur. She cited a
proposal in the Chilkoot watershed that is strongly opposed by
many in the community. There is a better alternative. She
cautioned the committee to exercise caution with the language in
the resolution. She strongly supports hydropower; it's an
excellent choice in numerous locations. However, HJR 25 does not
acknowledge that it's not appropriate in all locations.
4:44:05 PM
CHAIR MCGUIRE closed public testimony.
At-ease from 4:44 p.m. to 4:51 p.m.
CHAIR MCGUIRE noted that the congressional delegation is looking
for this resolution.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI moved to report HJR 25 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There
being no objection, CSHJR 25(ENE) AM moved from committee.
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