03/13/1996 08:10 AM House RES

 HJR 54 - FAVOR TRANS-ALASKA GAS SYSTEM & LNG SALES                          
                                                                               
 Number 0371                                                                   
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN GREEN brought HJR 54 before the committee and indicated           
 that although the bill would be heard the following day, the                  
 sponsor wished to make a statement.                                           
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GENE KUBINA, sponsor of HJR 54, explained that the             
 resolution was the culmination of a year's discussions with people            
 throughout the state and private industry, with the goal of                   
 encouraging marketing of North Slope natural gas.  The resolution             
 specifically asked the legislature to bring together people                   
 involved with natural gas, including lessees, the Governor, and the           
 potential buyers.  It put the legislature on record as supporting             
 marketing of natural gas.  It asked the Governor to bring those               
 involved together, to continue to support the joint pipeline                  
 office, to encourage developers to have an Alaska-hire agreement              
 for the construction of any pipeline, and to meet with all parties            
 to try to bring it to fruition.  The resolution also asked the                
 President of the United States to make it a trade issue with Asian            
 countries and to demonstrate to the country his support.                      
                                                                               
 Number 0526                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA mentioned there had been talk about a natural           
 gas pipeline for years.  "This resolution does not really get into            
 the route that would be taken," he said.  "It tried to really skirt           
 around the controversial parts and come into what we can all agree            
 on, and that is that we do want to market our natural gas."                   
 Representative Kubina indicated some people suggested there was a             
 150-year supply of gas; he said there certainly was more than a 25-           
 year supply.  "As a legislature, we want to do what we can to                 
 encourage this to happen," he said, "so that, obviously, we can               
 have the income into our state for it."  He concluded by saying               
 people would testify at the following day's meeting.                          
                                                                               
 MORGAN SOLOMON testified via teleconference from Barrow in support            
 of HJR 54, saying the proposal had been on paper for many years and           
 that Alaskans would benefit from the gas line going through the               
 state rather than through Canada.                                             
                                                                               
 Number 0709                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA mentioned that HJR 54 had a $10,000 fiscal              
 note from the department and therefore had a House Finance                    
 Committee referral.  He had talked to the commissioner, who                   
 understood the fiscal note would be zeroed out; the commissioner              
 had included a yearly trip to Asia, which Representative Kubina               
 felt was unnecessary, as a lot of things could be done here to get            
 this project moving.  Representative Kubina suggested there would             
 be little objection if the House Resources Committee wished to zero           
 out the fiscal note.                                                          
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN GREEN noted that HJR 54 would be held over to the                 
 following day's meeting.