Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 124
01/26/2005 03:00 PM House RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR4 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HJR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HJR 4-ENDORSING ANWR LEASING 3:03:53 PM CO-CHAIR SAMUELS announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4, Urging the United States Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, to oil and gas exploration, development, and production. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAWKER, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as the sponsor, introduced HJR 4 as a "reiteration of our body's solidarity in support for the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 1002 area to responsible oil and gas exploration and development." He said there is a new Congress and it is important to reiterate the legislature's support of opening the refuge for development. He opined that producing additional reserves of oil and gas on the North Slope is a primary objective of the state, and that Alaska is very dependent on the income from such resources. He stated that development can be done in an "extraordinarily environmentally responsible manner." He said HJR 4 is just an updated version of what has been passed by previous Alaska legislative bodies. 3:06:04 PM DEBBIE MILLER expressed disappointment that the legislature has passed resolutions in support of opening "the Arctic [National Wildlife] Refuge to oil and gas development." She said that there are many Alaskans who believe we have "plenty of room" for development on state land in the Central Arctic region, which has significant oil and gas reserves. "We have no business pushing to open our only Arctic wildlife refuge in the country that protects...it's there for the wildlife, it's there for the wilderness. It's not there for oil and gas exploitation." She expressed concern that no new oil and gas development has been allowed on any of the 500 federal wildlife refuges in the nation since 1964. She said the National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act prohibits that activity because it is not compatible with the purpose of a wildlife refuge. Ms. Miller opined that developing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge "circumvents the federal law." MS. MILLER urged the committee to dispense with HJR 4 and, instead, promote the development of alternative energy sources in Alaska, such as natural gas and hydrogen. She said there is no need to go into such a sensitive area. She added that she has a long history of familiarity with this issue, including exploring the area, writing several books, and participating in a wilderness assessment of the 1002 area back in the 1980s. 3:09:38 PM FRAN MAUER stated that he was a retired wildlife biologist and has worked in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for over 21 years. He urged the committee not to support HJR 4. He said that it was entirely inappropriate for any state to pursue oil drilling that would jeopardize the integrity of a "national conservation area." "It is un-American to do something like this," he said, and then compared it to the thought of California pushing for a dam in Yosemite National Park. He added that the state has wasted many millions of dollars funding Arctic Power. Mr. Mauer suggested using the money for other purposes, such as wind generation in Alaska's villages. 3:11:48 PM CO-CHAIR SAMUELS closed public testimony on HJR 4. CO-CHAIR RAMRAS made a motion to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 24- LS0179\G.1, Chenoweth, 1/26/05, which - with additional text regarding a change to page 2, line 15 of the bill - read: Page 2, following line 13: Insert a new clause to read: "WHEREAS the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, a transportation facility that is a national asset and that would cost billions of dollars to replace, would have its useful physical life extended for a substantial period if the additional reserves of recoverable oil from the coastal plain were produced; and" Page 2, line 15, following "Alpine," Delete "Badami" Insert "North Star" CO-CHAIR SAMUELS objected for the purposes of discussion. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER clarified that Representative Rokeberg, Chair, House Rules Standing Committee, requested Amendment 1 because there was an "obsolete" reference to the Badami field that should be replaced by the North Star field. The amendment [clarifies] that developing oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would extend the life of existing assets, he said. "We have invested a tremendous amount of wealth in the existing pipeline--potential replacement would be phenomenal," Representative Hawker added. 3:12:55 PM CO-CHAIR SAMUELS removed his objection, and asked if there were further objections. There being none, Amendment 1 was adopted. 3:13:04 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 2: Page 3, line 29, following "Congress"; Insert "and send electronically to all other members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate" 3:13:44 PM CO-CHAIR SAMUELS objected for the purposes of discussion. 3:13:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said he didn't object to an electronic transmittal of HJR 4. 3:14:11 PM CO-CHAIR SAMUELS removed his objection and asked if there were further objections. There being none, Conceptual Amendment 2 was adopted. 3:14:25 PM CO-CHAIR RAMRAS moved to report CSHJR 4(O&G), as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHJR 4(RES) was reported from the House Resources Standing Committee.
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