05/05/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

          HB 166-PFAS: USE FOR FIREFIGHTING, DISPOSAL                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:16:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced that  the first order  of business                                                              
would  be HOUSE BILL  NO. 166,  "An Act  relating to  firefighting                                                              
substances; and providing for an effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:16:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CLIFTON COGHILL,  Staff, Representative  Will Stapp,  Alaska State                                                              
Legislature,  on  behalf  of  the  prime  sponsor,  Representative                                                              
Stapp,  gave  a   brief  overview  of  HB  166.     He  said  that                                                              
perfluoroalkyl  and polyfluoroalkyl  substances  (PFAS) have  been                                                              
found to  be hazardous  materials, and HB  166 would  restrict the                                                              
usage of PFAS, except  to the oil and gas industry.   The proposed                                                              
bill  would  also   require  the  state  to  retrieve   some  PFAS                                                              
containing foam for disposal.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:17:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 166.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:18:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID PRUHS,  Mayor, City  of Fairbanks,  stated that  he supports                                                              
the  bill, as  it would  provide  a stopgap  measure for  fighting                                                              
certain  types  of  fires  while moving  away  from  harmful  PFAS                                                              
containing  foams.    He  said  that  the  stopgap  would  prevent                                                              
Fairbanks  from   having  to  spend   more  on  new   firefighting                                                              
equipment amidst a tight budget.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:19:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICE LEE,  representing  self, expressed  support for  the bill                                                              
because it would address future contamination from PFAS.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:21:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SCOTT  RAYGOR,   Chief,  Fairbanks   Fire  Department,   expressed                                                              
support for  HB 166.   He said that  Fairbanks has  spent millions                                                              
of dollars  connecting residences  to city  water because  of PFAS                                                              
contamination.   He  suggested that  this  would be  a good  first                                                              
step  in  eliminating  "forever  chemicals."   He  expressed  some                                                              
concern  in  the  section  of  the  bill  which  addresses  forest                                                              
firefighting materials.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:23:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE, after  ascertaining there  was no  one else                                                              
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on Hb 166.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:23:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER moved to  report HB  166 out of  committee                                                              
with  individual  recommendations   and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                              
notes.  There being  no objection, HB 166 was reported  out of the                                                              
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.