03/29/2001 11:32 AM House RLS

HCR  1-STATEWIDE COMP ENERGY PLAN TASK FORCE                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR KOTT announced  that the only order of  business before the                                                               
committee would  be HOUSE CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION NO.  1, Relating                                                               
to establishing a Task Force  on a Statewide Comprehensive Energy                                                               
Plan.  [Before the committee was CSHCR 1(L&C).]                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0045                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ, Alaska  State Legislature, testified as                                                               
the sponsor  of HCR  1.   He explained that  HCR 1  establishes a                                                               
statewide comprehensive energy task force.   The meeting today is                                                               
because various  groups have  decided to  be substituted  for one                                                               
another.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0123                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   BERKOWITZ  moved   that   the  committee   adopt                                                               
Amendment 1 that reads as follows:                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 14 and 15, following "the",                                                                                  
        Delete "Resource Development Council for Alaska,                                                                        
     Inc."                                                                                                                      
          Insert "Alaska Coal Association"                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Berkowitz  noted  that  both  the  aforementioned                                                               
organizations support Amendment 1.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KOTT asked  if there  was  any objection  to Amendment  1.                                                               
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0166                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  moved that the committee  adopt Amendment                                                               
2 that reads as follows:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 16, following "the",                                                                                          
          Delete "Alaska Conservation Alliance"                                                                                 
          Insert "Anchorage Audubon Society"                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0180                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  moved that the committee  adopt Amendment                                                               
3 that reads as follows:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 18,                                                                                                           
        Delete "(10) one member appointed by the Alaska                                                                         
     Public Interest Research Group;"                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber accordingly.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ objected.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  said, "I  think the  task force  is well-                                                               
balanced.   I  think  that there  are a  wide  variety of  groups                                                               
represented.   And I think  it's going  to be important  that the                                                               
groups that are there are able  to have a fruitful discussion and                                                               
I'm not sure  what that adds.   And I can see where  it might add                                                               
barriers to good discussion."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 0274                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BERKOWITZ  acknowledged  that the  Alaska  Public                                                               
Interest Research  Group (AkPIRG) is  not favored by many  in the                                                               
legislature and the group can be  difficult.  However, he said he                                                               
believes   they  have   much   to  contribute   to  the   debate.                                                               
Representative  Berkowitz pointed  out  that there  are no  other                                                               
entities that  are part of  this that truly  represent consumers.                                                               
Therefore, he requested that AkPIRG be included.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE  pointed out  that there  is no  fiscal note                                                               
for this legislation and thus  deleting a group wouldn't save any                                                               
money.  If  AkPIRG is the only consumer group  on the task force,                                                               
it would seem appropriate to keep them  as a member.  He asked if                                                               
AkPIRG, as  a consumer group, will  be able to bring  a statewide                                                               
perspective of consumer issues.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ  replied, "Yes,  as much  as any  of the                                                               
other groups that are part of this task force."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  encouraged the sponsor to  consider other                                                               
consumer  groups,   if  this  legislation  is   passed  from  the                                                               
committee.   She  offered to  also research  what other  consumer                                                               
groups would be more representative.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 0469                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LANCASTER  said  that  he  could  understand  the                                                               
concern regarding  AkPIRG.  However,  he pointed out  that AkPIRG                                                               
is  a member  of the  Alaska Electric  Consumers Alliance  and is                                                               
very  active  in  the  power industry  with  national  and  state                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A roll  call vote  was taken.   Representatives  McGuire, Porter,                                                               
and  Kott   voted  for   Amendment  2.   Representatives  Morgan,                                                               
Berkowitz,  and  Joule voted  against  Amendment  2.   Therefore,                                                               
Amendment 2 failed to be adopted.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0543                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to  report CSHCR 1(L&C) as amended                                                               
out  of   committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  the                                                               
accompanying zero fiscal  note.  There being  no objection, CSHCR
(RLS) was reported from the House Rules Standing Committee.