Legislature(2013 - 2014)CAPITOL 106
01/28/2014 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR23 | |
| HB255 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 23 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 255 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HJR 23-GOOD FRIDAY EARTHQUAKE REMEMBRANCE DAY
8:05:07 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE
JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 23, Proclaiming March 27, 2014, as Good
Friday Earthquake Remembrance Day.
8:05:38 AM
JEFF TURNER, Staff, Representative Charisse Millett, Alaska
State Legislature, presented HJR 23 on behalf of Representative
Millett, sponsor. He stated that March 27, 2014, will be the
fiftieth anniversary of the "Good Friday Earthquake," a 9.2
magnitude quake, which tore apart 50,000 square miles of
Southcentral Alaska, leveling entire communities and triggering
massive tsunamis that brought more devastation to coastal areas.
He explained that the purpose of the proposed joint resolution
is not to highlight the earthquake itself, but to honor the
thousands of Alaskans who put the needs of others before their
own, including first responders, medical personnel, the Alaska
Army and Air National Guards, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
government employees, and everyday Alaskans. Those people
conducted search and rescue operations, provided medical care,
food, shelter, and the restoration of vital services and
infrastructure, and saved many lives. He said the proposed
legislation would recognize how a great disaster brought out the
best of all Alaskans.
MR. TURNER said the bill sponsor asks that the committee support
HJR 23, so that it can be included in the events that will be
marking the fiftieth anniversary of the earthquake in Anchorage
and other Southcentral communities. Mr. Turner noted that Chuck
Volanti, one of the upcoming testifiers, is not only an Alaska
Air National Guard who brought the idea for the proposed joint
resolution to Representative Millett, but also served at Kulis
Air National Guard Base during the earthquake and would be one
of the people honored under HJR 23.
8:07:47 AM
CHAIR LYNN related that at the time of the earthquake, he was in
the U.S. Air Force, on his way to be stationed in Kotzebue,
Alaska, and landed on route at Elmendorf Air Force Base for
Arctic Training. He recalled that "the place was still shaking
with all the aftershock," and said, "You'd be talking to
somebody and all of a sudden everybody would be under the desk."
He said he saw the buildings on Fourth Avenue, where there was
almost total devastation. He said it was a blessing [the
effects] were not worse, and he suggested that the proposed
joint legislation may be an appropriate one to consider.
8:08:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS said she remembers "a lot of great
Alaskans helping other Alaskans that were in need." She said
she was age seven at the time of the earthquake and remembers
her mother telling her that she would give some of her clothes
and toys to children who lost everything in Valdez. She said as
the oldest child in her family, she was allowed to go with her
father to the power plant to help return the power to Anchorage,
and she saw [the destruction of] Fourth Avenue. She remarked
that Alaskans put politics aside to help each other during an
emergency situation.
8:10:17 AM
CHAIR LYNN, in response, offered his understanding that at the
time of [the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001], members
of U.S. Congress stood together and sang "God Bless America."
8:11:02 AM
CHUCK VOLANTI indicated that the inspiration to bring the idea
for HJR 23 to the legislature was his love of Alaska, its
unparalleled beauty and people, and his experience serving in
the Alaska Air National Guard. He continued as follows:
I believe the time has come to commemorate the tragic
events of fifty years ago. I believe history
unwritten is history forgotten. This legislation,
when passed, will ensure its rightful place in Alaska
state history.
On Good Friday, March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m., Alaska
was ravaged with by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake - the
largest recorded earthquake in U.S. history. It cast
a pall of death and destruction covering thousands of
square miles of pristine landscapes and lasting over
four minutes, where seconds seemed like hours. Within
an hour, I arrived at Kulis Air National Guard Base
..., then proceeded with flight dispatch
responsibilities, organizing flight crews,
coordinating the airlifts of supplies, equipment, and
personnel, all of which was intended to alleviate the
suffering of many citizens.
Nothing of this magnitude has had more impact on
Alaska or its people; all were forever changed. The
towns of Valdez, Seward, Portage, Girdwood, and
Chenega Village were destroyed. Anchorage and the
Anchorage Borough suffered deadly and severe
devastation. The Good Friday Earthquake destroyed
hundreds of dwellings and businesses and created
numerous landslides, one of which cascaded several
residential blocks of Turnagain by the Sea onto the
mudflats of Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet. The quake
and tsunamis, with no respect for borders or
boundaries, ... continued a path of death and
destruction down the Pacific Coast all the way to
Crescent City, California. The people who were
displaced and suffered great loss number in the
thousands.
It is time to recognize the quake's horrific impact on
the state and the selfless rendering of humanitarian
aid by first responders represented by thousands of
Alaskan people coming from all walks of life,
including countless military personnel. In the face
of danger and uncertain circumstances, their display
of selflessness, courage, and compassion proved the
difference for many lives, even their own, as one life
often affects another. The outcome of their efforts
impacted not only their generation, but the
generations that would follow - even those yet to be
born. Their legacy remains intact.
As a former member of the Alaska Air National Guard, I
dedicate the efforts I have expended to those
mentioned in this resolution; for those who made the
ultimate sacrifice - true patriots and heroes and the
families they left behind. [It is] time to pay
tribute and give memorials of all the lost souls of
this tragic event, to acknowledge the thousands who
served, to honor their memory, and to give them their
rightful place in Alaska state history.
8:14:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON thanked Mr. Volanti for his role in
bringing forward HJR 23 and for his service in the Air National
Guard and role in showing what that entity provides to the
country. He also expressed thanks to the bill sponsor's staff.
He said he grew up in the Seattle, Washington, area, and he
remembers the tremors caused by earthquakes, in general. He
opined that honoring those who lost their lives and those who
sacrificed their time in the service of others is "fitting for
all Alaskans." He pointed out that he was wearing a hat that
was made by Mrs. Volanti in commemoration of the fiftieth
anniversary of the Good Friday Earthquake. He stated his
support of HJR 23.
8:16:05 AM
MR. VOLANTI indicated that [his role in bringing this proposed
legislation to light] has been a privilege. He emphasized, "I
have felt very strongly about this for many years."
8:16:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES said she is glad HJR 23 is being proposed
for the fiftieth anniversary of the earthquake instead of
waiting for the one hundredth, because those who would be
honored may still be alive now. She said she thinks the
proposed joint resolution is a reminder of how important it is
for communities to pull together. Further, she said HJR 23
underlines the issue of emergency preparedness, which she said
is a passion of hers. She said the Department of Military &
Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has contacted her office, and she
offered her understanding that the state is going to be
conducting exercises in March, whereas exercises will occur
nationally in October. She acknowledged that there are people
who helped during the earthquake at a young age who, therefore,
are not yet seniors.
8:18:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER thanked the bill sponsor for bringing the
joint resolution forward. He recounted that at the time of the
earthquake, he was a high school student who lived in the
Turnagain area. He said the event pained him, and he uses it as
a marker of when he became an Alaskan.
8:19:20 AM
ROBERT "BUZZ" SCHER, Chair, Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety
Commission (ASHSC), testified in support of HJR 23. He
emphasized the importance of public education, awareness, and
preparedness as an appropriate and direct means to mitigate the
earthquake hazard [Alaska] faces. He said Alaska is one of the
most seismically active locales, not only in the nation, but
worldwide. He reported that just last year, over 28,000
earthquakes were instrumented in the state, including over 40
that were over magnitude 5 or larger - the size at which an
earthquake can do damage, subject to how close the earthquake
occurred.
8:22:31 AM
MR. SCHER said the commission fully supports HJR 23, but has
suggestions regarding its language. First, he said although the
earthquake goes by many names, including the Good Friday
Earthquake, its formal name given by the U.S. Department of
Geological Surveys is "The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake." Next,
he directed attention to "a comment about the area that was
affected," on [page 1], line 4, and he said it is difficult to
capture how large and significant the event was. He explained
that ground shaking was felt as far off as Barrow; it was felt
700-800 miles away from the epicenter in Prince William Sound.
He then pointed out language in [lines 5 and 6], which mention
"the largest earthquake in the history of North America." He
said it would be more accurate to say "the largest instrumented
earthquake in North America." He noted that it was also the
second largest instrumented earthquake in the world - ever. Mr.
Scher stated that the earthquake of 1964 was probably one of two
or three defining moments of Alaska, Alaska becoming a state
being another. He said the earthquake went a long way in
proving geologic, engineering, and plate tectonic theories. It
also brought to light the need for better building codes and
land use planning.
8:25:09 AM
MR. SCHER recommended that the committee consider changing the
proposed legislation to make March 17 an official day of
remembrance in perpetuity, rather than acknowledging the day
just on its fiftieth anniversary.
8:25:46 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON reviewed Mr. Scher's aforementioned
amendment suggestions.
MR. SCHER confirmed those were his recommendations.
8:27:23 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:27 a.m. to 8:29 a.m.
8:29:22 AM
CHAIR LYNN said the committee had a short conversation with Mr.
Turner during the at-ease.
8:29:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, to
proclaim March 27 Good Friday Earthquake Remembrance Day in
perpetuity. There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1
was adopted.
8:30:08 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony.
8:30:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HJR 23, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHJR 23(STA) was
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
[The committee revisited HJR 23 on 2/4/14.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 01 HB255 Version N.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 02 HB255 Sponsor Statement 21Jan14.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 03 HB255 FINAL Legislative Task Force UAS Interim Report - Jan 15-2014.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 04 HB255 IACP UAGuidelines.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 05 Fiscal Note DPS HB255.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 06 Fiscal Note UOA HB255.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 07 Fiscal Note DOL HB255.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 255 |
| 01 HJR023A.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 23 |
| 02 HJR 23 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 23 |
| 03 Fiscal Note HJR23-01-27-14.php.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 23 |
| 04 HJR 23 Letter of Support Volanti.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 23 |
| 05 HJR23 ASHSC Resolution 2013-1_Passed 14 Nov '13.pdf |
HSTA 1/28/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 23 |