02/22/2008 08:30 AM House FISHERIES

HB 134-PROTECTION OF SALMON SPAWNING WATER                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:11:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO.  134,  "An  Act  relating  to  conservation  and                                                               
protection of  wild salmon production in  drainages affecting the                                                               
Bristol  Bay Fisheries  Reserve; and  providing for  an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[The  motion  to  adopt  CSHB  134,  Version  25-LS0381\M,  Kane,                                                               
2/22/07, was left pending at the 2/28/07 meeting.]                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
[The  motion  to  adopt  CSHB  134,  Version  25-LS0381\O,  Kane,                                                               
1/22/08 was left pending at the February 18, 2008 meeting.]                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:11:22 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
VAL ANGASAN  said that he  opposes Version  O, as it  attempts to                                                               
change  land-use permits  that  date back  to  the Alaska  Native                                                               
Claims Settlement Act  (ANCSA).  He asked that  the committee not                                                               
adopt measures which would impede,  restrict, or prohibit current                                                               
legal mining  developments in Southwestern Alaska.   He explained                                                               
that the land  selections in Alaska are premised  on the economic                                                               
value, including mineral  deposits.  He asked  that the committee                                                               
consult with the Department of  Natural Resources (DNR) to assure                                                               
that the constituents concerns are addressed.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:14:42 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
WASSILLIE ILUTSIK  said that  he opposed HB  134 because  it will                                                               
put  restrictions on  the village  corporations,  and on  private                                                               
landowners, for any  kind of economic development.   He explained                                                               
that  there  is very  high  unemployment  in  the villages.    He                                                               
related a story  of his drinking the river water,  with the water                                                               
tasting like gasoline, and realized  how many sport fishing boats                                                               
are on the river.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:18:23 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked Mr. Ilutsik  if he would support the                                                               
bill  if  it  banned  all water  pollutants,  including  outboard                                                               
motors.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ILUTSIK said  he would  like  to see  all water  pollutants,                                                               
including the outboard motors, eliminated.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:19:31 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
STEVEN  ANGASAN,  Naknek Village  Council,  said  that Naknek  is                                                               
against HB 134.  This bill  would lead to "division in an already                                                               
divided  region."    He  asked  if  the  legislature  could  pass                                                               
regional-specific legislation.  He explained  that the economy of                                                               
the  area  is   in  trouble,  and  HB  134   would  ban  economic                                                               
opportunities.  He  relayed that seven to eight mines  are in the                                                               
development stages  in the  Bristol Bay region.   He  inquired if                                                               
passage  of   the  bill  would   exempt  the  mines   already  in                                                               
development, or would the state  pay compensation for the loss of                                                               
economic development.   He asked if there were studies  as to the                                                               
constitutionality of the laws.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:24:01 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON closed public testimony.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
[HB 134 was held over.]