03/23/1993 01:30 PM House CRA

  HB 76:  APPROP: KACHEMAK BAY ST. PK. TIMBER RIGHTS                           
                                                                               
  Number 024                                                                   
                                                                               
  SANDY NUSBAUM, LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO REPRESENTATIVE GAIL                       
  PHILLIPS, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 76, read the sponsor statement                 
  into the record.  (A copy of this sponsor statement may be                   
  found in the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee                  
  Room, Capitol 110, and after the adjournment of the second                   
  session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature, in the                         
  Legislative Reference Library.)                                              
                                                                               
  Representative Jerry Sanders joined the committee at 1:43.                   
                                                                               
  Number 138                                                                   
                                                                               
  KARIN HOLSER, WASILLA, testified in support of HB 76 saying,                 
  "We just heard this morning at the pollution prevention                      
  conference that tourism has surpassed the fisheries and                      
  mining industry here in Alaska, and it just seems to me that                 
  tourists are not going to come down to Homer to look at                      
  clear cutting."                                                              
                                                                               
  Number 160                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS said, "(Do) I understand you                    
  saying that now, we would rather have tourists here than the                 
  timber industry?"                                                            
                                                                               
  MS. HOLSER replied, "All I'm saying is:  The economist from                  
  ISER (Institute of Social and Economic Research) that was                    
  speaking this morning was pointing out that tourism is an                    
  industry that is going to be growing and growing, so we need                 
  to consider it..."                                                           
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS asked if she agreed with the $22                     
  million dollar price.                                                        
                                                                               
  MS. HOLSER replied, "From everything I've seen yes, it seems                 
  very viable.  We've sort of been putting this issue off and                  
  off and off, and the longer you put it off the higher the                    
  price is going to be.  If it's one that everybody can agree                  
  on then we need to move forward with it.  If we try to get                   
  them to lower the price, I don't think they're in a                          
  negotiating mood because, my personal opinion is, they've                    
  been jerked around long enough."                                             
                                                                               
  Number 204                                                                   
                                                                               
  ANNE WIELAND, ANCHORAGE CHAPTER, KACHEMAK BAY CITIZENS                       
  COALITION, testified in favor of HB 76 saying, "What you                     
  have before you is an opportunity...to solve a longstanding                  
  problem situation in a win-win kind of way.  The                             
  administration has put together a package.  One portion of                   
  which is from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council:                    
  Money that was approved this January.  A second part of it                   
  is money from the Alyeska Pipeline settlement.  The third                    
  part is Representative Phillips's HB 76," and "We also feel                  
  the $50 million criminal penalty money is the appropriate                    
  source of funding for HB 76 given the language of that                       
  settlement and also given the documented oiling of Kachemak                  
  Bay in 1989..."                                                              
                                                                               
  Number 283                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA TOOHEY asked, "Is there any land                      
  along the waterfront that could be used for development,                     
  small lots for people to build cabins?"                                      
                                                                               
  MS. WIELAND replied, "There are lots of private inholdings                   
  here and there in that area, and some of those are                           
  subdivision holdings...  Additionally, Seldovia Native                       
  Association has an active leasing program in the area on                     
  some of the remaining land they hold just outside the park."                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS said, "I am from a timber industry                   
  area, which is Ketchikan, and I believe that clear-cuts, if                  
  they're done correctly, are good looking."  He then extended                 
  an invitation to Ms. Wieland to show her this.  He added,                    
  "Timber is a renewable resource, it will grow back.  So I                    
  would appreciate it if everybody else would see that this is                 
  better for the state in a different manner than say that                     
  'clear cuts are ugly'."                                                      
                                                                               
  MS. WIELAND said she is familiar with his district and,                      
  "This is not a logging issue.  This is a completion of a                     
  package put together by the administration.  That is how we                  
  view it.  All of us live in wood houses.  I use paper.  As a                 
  result, I am very cognizant of this issue that you raise."                   
                                                                               
  Number 328                                                                   
                                                                               
  KATYA KIRSCH, ASSISTANT, ALASKA ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBY,                         
  testified in support of HB 76 and added, "However, we                        
  believe also that this legislation should address a broader                  
  range of habitat projects around the oil spill affected                      
  area.  The Alaska Environmental Lobby would like to                          
  emphasize that the environmental community, as well as many                  
  other Alaskans, believe the remaining criminal money should                  
  be spent on habitat projects and acquisitions.  These                        
  include acquisitions around Cordova, Frog Neck Island, the                   
  Kenai River, Kodiak Archipelago, and other areas.  Money                     
  should also be set aside for fisheries projects around                       
  Kodiak, Kenai and Prince William Sound to mitigate fisheries                 
  damage by the oil spill."                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 372                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE CON BUNDE commented, "It's very difficult for                 
  me to spend seven and a half million dollars to buy dead                     
  trees when I'm under assault for reducing budgets for                        
  schools, seniors, welfare and that sort of thing."                           
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN OLBERG said, "I think that's why this proposal's                    
  for only seven million."                                                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE continued, "I feel so much better...                    
  But, as their is such a large constituency that seems to                     
  want this.  I will vote the will of that constituency."                      
                                                                               
  Number 385                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN OLBERG said, "This seems to me to be a bill and an                  
  issue that truly needs to go to the floor of both houses of                  
  the legislature for final resolution."                                       
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE MOVED that HB 76 be passed out of                       
  committee with individual recommendations.  There were no                    
  objections, and the MOTION CARRIED.                                          
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN OLBERG called a short at ease from 2:05 to 2:06                     
  p.m.