Legislature(2007 - 2008)HOUSE FINANCE 519
05/05/2007 01:00 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB177 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 177 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 177-NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT
Public Testimony
The following overview was taken in log note format.
Handouts will be on file with the House Finance Committee
through the 25th Legislative Session, contact 465-6814.
After the 25th Legislative Session they will be available
through the Legislative Library at 465-3808.
TIME SPEAKER DISCUSSION
1:14:14 PM Robert Testified in support of a project labor
Peterson, agreement (PLA), which would encourage
Operating local hire.
Engineers,
Anchorage
1:15:47 PM Jason Brune, Noted that RDC has not taken a position
Executive on AGIA lightly; they engaged in a
Director, lengthy work session. The membership
Resource does agree that Alaska needs a gas
Development pipeline and needs it soon. He
Council (RDC), concurred with many of AGIA's guiding
Anchorage principles, including the insistence on
a transparent process, but did not
believe that AGIA would result in a gas
pipeline without amendments. The
statewide RDC Board reached the
following points of consensus: AGIA
should maximize transparency in the
progress (they believe AGIA meets this
goal); AGIA should strive to maximize
the number of bidders and bid
requirements (AGIA should be amended in
order to allow applicants as much
flexibility as possible); and bid
requirements set out in AGIA are too
prescriptive and should be replaced
with broad objectives, the number of
bid requirements should be minimized
and flexibility should be maximized. He
reiterated that AGIA should be amended
to establish broad objectives.
ANCHORAGE (Teleconference Testimony)
1:18:57 PM Paul Laird, Testified against AGIA in its present
General form. Oh behalf of the membership, he
Manager, urged the bill be reformed.
Alaska Support
Industry
Alliance,
Anchorage
1:20:47 PM Mary Shields, Encouraged greater scrutiny of the AGIA
General bill so that it can add better value to
Manager, state resources. She maintained that
Northwest the bid process does not contain clear
Technical and objective criteria for evaluation.
Services, She expressed concern that the $500
Anchorage million incentive would encourage those
without the financial strength to
complete the project. She urged the
state to require proof of financial
viability. Selection of the licensee
needs to follow a formalized, logical
and objective course; any objectivity
needs to be eliminated.
Representative Gara emphasized that the
20 requirements included in AGIA would
prevent subjectivity. The Governor is
committed to only accept bids from
companies that have the wherefore all
to do the work. Ms. Shields referred to
difficulties in other state projects
where a single entity or one or two
commissioners decided the outcome.
1:25:36 PM Maynard Tapp, Proposed that AGIA should be passed
Alliance, after reconsideration of the Stranded
Anchorage Gas Act. He mentioned the required
performance bonds. He urged that the
gas pipeline not be delayed longer. He
asked if the Legislature wants the
federal government to take over the
project.
1:27:36 PM Aves Thompson, Stated that getting a gas pipeline to
Executive fruition is the highest priority of the
Director, Alaska Trucking Association. He urged
Alaska that the bidders address the outcomes.
Trucking He recommended that the bill needs
Association, clear and objective criteria to make
Anchorage the decision. He felt that AGIA places
too much emphasis on the short-term
risks. He urged fiscal certainty.
1:30:04 PM Jim Gilbert, Testified in support of a gas project.
President, He maintained that the AGIA legislation
Alliance, needs amending. He urged that the
Anchorage Legislature listen to the producers and
give them what they want.
1:31:17 PM Alberto Offered to answer questions from the
Rodriques, Committee.
Local 341,
Anchorage
1:31:40 PM Jed Whittaker, Suggested that the State of Alaska own
Self, the pipeline and the natural gas in
Anchorage order to maintain Alaskan control on
hiring. He spoke against the work of
Exxon.
1:34:18 PM Paul Kendall, Voiced support for AGIA. Contracts are
Self, amendable and can be reconstructed with
Anchorage consent of the bodies involved. He
expressed concern that the three
largest producers have a desire to bid
in a fair manner. He provided a list of
recommendations.
1:38:25 PM Rebecca Logan, Asked the Committee to reinstate the
ABC Alaska, original language for a PLA to the
Anchorage bill: commit to negotiate, prior to
construction, a project labor
agreement, to assure expedited and
labor stability for the project by
qualified residents of the state.
1:39:02 PM Laurence Related a story of his work on the
Mooney, North Slope. He commented on the amount
Laborers 341, of unemployment in the North Slope
Anchorage area. He urged local hire.
1:41:15 PM Lon Wilson, Worried about the imminent threat of
Alliance, the loss of gas. Argued that without a
Anchorage pipeline, there will be an economic
lapse for the state of Alaska. An
agreement will only be reached though
negotiations, which AGIA lacks. He
maintained that there are many things
wrong with AGIA. He urged that the
scale be addressed.
1:43:35 PM Lyle Anne, AAA He urged that non union and union
Fence Inc., workers be equally considered. The work
Anchorage should be open to all Alaskans.
1:44:26 PM Julie Anne, Urged that the original language of
AAA Fence AGIA be returned [PLA]. She encouraged
Inc., prioritization of the Alaskan
Anchorage workforce.
1:46:36 PM Vince Stated that 85% of the workers in
Beltrami, Alaska are union workers. He applauded
President, the Governor, who wants the pipeline.
Alaska AFL-He stated that the AFL/CIO supports
CIO, AGIA. The Governor is supportive of the
Anchorage, Alaska workforce. He worried about the
setbacks if the legislation fails.
1:50:48 PM Joey Merrick, Voiced support for a gas pipeline
Business project. He added that there needs to
Manager, Local be a project labor agreement. He urged
341, Eagle putting Alaskans to work, commenting
River that the best way to do that would be
through a PLA.
Representative Crawford wondered if
there was concern about discrimination
from the unions. Mr. Merrick disagreed.
He pointed out that they prioritize
journeymen, ahead of those from out-of-
state. It is illegal to discriminate
against anyone with regard to the union
status. Qualified union members have a
preference.
1:55:34 PM Jerry Woods, Read from a resolution prepared by the
Acting Conference supporting building the
Director, project in order to bring increased
Tanana Chief viability and economic advantage to the
Conference, state through the unions. Expressed
Fairbanks support for Alaska Native and local
hire preference on any gas pipeline
project.
2:00:54 PM Jeff Pruss, Spoke in support of inclusion of local
Carpenters hire provisions.
Local 1243,
Fairbanks
2:02:06 PM Jay Expressed support for AGIA. He felt
Quakenbush, that it was appropriate for the state
Fairbanks to set "must have" provisions. Spoke in
Building and support of a project labor agreement,
Construction which would encourage local
Trades, opportunities. Testified in support of
Fairbanks an "all Alaskan" project.
2:05:27 PM Jerry Walker, He suggested consideration of the tools
Self, needed to compete in a global market,
Fairbanks and long term versus short term risks.
He observed that inappropriate
government controls could hinder global
inducements.
2:08:35 PM Mike Spoke in support of a project labor
Littlefield, agreement, which would encourage local
Local 959, opportunities. A PLA would allow unions
Fairbanks to define working conditions.
2:11:04 PM Lisa Peger, Maintained that producers are asking
The Silent the state not to negotiate in the best
Majority, interest of the state. She spoke in
Fairbanks support of a TransCanada pipeline.
2:13:36 PM Herb Simon, Encourage acceptance of the Governor's
Nilchina proposal. He observed that no one can
predict the trickle down effects of the
pipeline.
2:15:57 PM Bill Warren, Spoke in support of a project labor
Nikiski agreement, which would encourage local
opportunities. He maintained that the
producers want to work on their own
timelines, which do not coincide with
the state's. Spoke in support of a
TransCanada pipeline and the use of
ANGDA.
2:18:37 PM Charles Spoke in opposition to a project labor
Wieger, agreement. He felt that a PLA would be
Association of a detriment to the majority of workers,
Builders and which do not belong to a union. He
Contractors maintained that PLA's on TAPS did not
benefit Alaskan workers. Workers would
pay 25 percent of their wages to unions
under a PLA.
2:20:50 PM Lynn Johnson, Testified in favor of a gas pipeline.
President, He asserted that Alaska will not be
Dowland Bach, able to build a pipeline without the
Anchorage involvement of the producers. He
suggested that changes needed to be
made to the proposal and emphasized
that AGIA may be the last chance for
the project to go forward.
2:23:04 PM Jim Palmer, Observed that the commissioners would
Eagle River decide the winner of the application
process and recommended that this be
expanded. He stressed that all the
stakeholders are necessary to move the
project forward. He felt that AGIA may
go too far in encouraging all the
parties.
2:26:03 PM Merrick Spoke in support of the Governor's
Pierce, proposal and in support of competition.
He addressed the evaluation and ranking
criteria. He suggested that (5) should
be amended to all factors found by the
commissioners to improve the health,
safety and welfare of Alaskans. He
noted that coal fired plants add
contaminants into the Fairbanks area,
which affect their children. Cancer is
also an issue in Fairbanks, which is
acerbated by coal fire plants. Delay in
the pipeline means delays in upgrades
to the coal fire power plants needed to
help clean Fairbanks' air.
# ADJOURNMENT ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 PM
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