05/07/2007 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

HJR 12-ENDORSING ANWR LEASING                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:20:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR GATTO  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO.  12,  Urging the  United  States                                                               
Congress to  pass legislation  to open the  coastal plain  of the                                                               
Arctic  National  Wildlife Refuge  to  oil  and gas  exploration,                                                               
development,  and production.    [Before the  committee is  CSHJR
(O&G).]                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:21:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON,  speaking as the  sponsor of HJR  12, explained                                                               
that  this  resolution encouraging  the  opening  of the  coastal                                                               
plain of the Arctic National  Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling.                                                               
However, HJR 12  takes a bit of a different  approach as it takes                                                               
into consideration  some of the  environmental concerns  that are                                                               
real.    For  example,   the  resolution  encourages  directional                                                               
drilling  and   a  minimal  footprint.     The   resolution  also                                                               
encourages that [any activity] pay  attention to the environment,                                                               
particularly  the  Porcupine  Caribou  herd.    Co-Chair  Johnson                                                               
encouraged the committee to forward this resolution.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:23:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR GATTO asked if there was  any public testimony.  [No one                                                               
stated interest in testifying.]                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:23:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON  moved  to  report CSHJR  12(O&G)  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
zero fiscal notes.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:23:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOHRING objected  for  discussion  purposes.   He                                                               
then related  his strong  support for  HJR 12,  even in  light of                                                               
current events.  He commended  the sponsor for "keeping the flame                                                               
alive" and then withdrew his objection.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:23:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG  referred to  page 3, lines  4-5, which                                                               
read:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     WHEREAS the oil  industry has shown at  Prudhoe Bay, as                                                                  
     well  as at  other locations  along the  Arctic coastal                                                                    
     plain, that  it is  capable of  conducting oil  and gas                                                                    
     activity  without adversely  affecting the  environment                                                                    
     or wildlife populations;                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GUTTENBERG  related  his   belief  that  the  oil                                                               
industry is  capable of  doing the  aforementioned and  he wished                                                               
the industry would do so.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:24:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON  commented that  if Alaskans forget  about ANWR,                                                               
it won't  be long before  it's totally forgotten.   Therefore, he                                                               
related the need to continue to "squeak."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:25:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further  objection, CSHJR  12(O&G) was  reported                                                               
from the House Resources Standing Committee.