05/02/2023 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

          SJR 11-WESTERN AK/ARCTIC OIL SPILL RESPONSE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:01:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE announced  that the only order of  business would be                                                               
SENATE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 11  am, Recognizing  the Don  Young                                                               
Coast  Guard Authorization  Act  of 2022  and  the importance  of                                                               
certain  provisions  intended  to   enhance  oil  spill  response                                                               
capabilities in  Western Alaska and  the United States  Arctic to                                                               
promote  improved  safety  in shipping  commerce,  protection  of                                                               
communities  in the  state,  and the  health  of critical  marine                                                               
resources; urging the  United States Coast Guard  to consider the                                                               
unique  challenges  of  the  state   when  developing  oil  spill                                                               
response requirements  for Western  Alaska and the  United States                                                               
Arctic;  and urging  the deployment  of individualized  oil spill                                                               
response resources for the state  that use modern technologies to                                                               
track  the operation  of large  vessels in  the region  and local                                                               
service  providers  with  knowledge   of  the  region  and  local                                                               
wildlife.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:02:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JESSE KIEHL, Alaska State  Legislature, as prime sponsor,                                                               
presented SJR 11  am.  He said the joint  resolution was inspired                                                               
by  the  Don  Young  Coast   Guard  Authorization  Act  of  2022.                                                               
Regulations  were put  in place  in  the aftermath  of the  Exxon                                                               
Valdez  oil spill,  but many  places in  Alaska do  not have  the                                                               
infrastructure to comply with all  of those regulations.  He said                                                               
that there are ways to  get alternative plans approved, but those                                                               
plans  are approved  in Washington  D.C., not  by members  of the                                                               
U.S. Coast Guard that are  stationed in and familiar with Alaska.                                                               
The result of  this has been regulations that have  at times been                                                               
inconsistent.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:06:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALEB   YABES,  Intern,   Senator  Jesse   Kiehl,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, gave  a brief  analysis of  SJR 11  am on  behalf of                                                               
Senator Kiehl,  prime sponsor.   He said that the  proposed joint                                                               
resolution  would  call  on  the  Coast  Guard  to  give  serious                                                               
consideration   to  Alaska   in  matters   regarding  oil   spill                                                               
regulations.     It  would  request  the   use  of  Alaskan-owned                                                               
equipment  to respond  to a  spill  for the  purpose of  response                                                               
time.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:07:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL stated that an  amendment added on the Senate floor                                                               
clarified that  the resolution does  not request the  Coast Guard                                                               
to  make any  changes in  regulations  for Cook  Inlet or  Prince                                                               
William  Sound.   He  said  that a  committee  substitute was  in                                                               
progress that would  add a statement against the  creation of new                                                               
sub-zones  in Western  Alaska  and take  out  a technical  clause                                                               
dealing with equipment.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:10:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES asked  why  the clause  allowing dual  use                                                               
would be  removed if it  is not  critical to the  resolution, and                                                               
stated her concern that it could  give an unfair advantage to one                                                               
company over another.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL  answered that there  is some middle ground  of the                                                               
uses for different equipment.   He said that the resolution would                                                               
not tilt the regulatory playing  field in favor of any particular                                                               
organization.   He  added  that the  clause  ultimately became  a                                                               
"distraction."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES  expressed her concern over  making changes                                                               
to SJR 11  am when it had already been  passed unanimously in the                                                               
Senate.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL responded that the  issues were raised to him after                                                               
the  resolution had  already  left its  final  committee, and  he                                                               
committed to doing further work to address those issues.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:16:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE opened public testimony on SJR 11 am.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:16:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JIM BUTLER, representing self, noted that  he is an attorney.  He                                                               
stated  that  Senator  Kiehl  did  a good  job  in  explaining  a                                                               
"complex  issue."   He  said  that  it  is important  for  Alaska                                                               
industries and state government agencies  to provide input to the                                                               
federal government in regard to these regulations.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:18:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES asked  whether Mr.  Butler represents  any                                                               
oil response companies.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. BUTLER answered that he represents Alaska Chadux Network,                                                                   
and additionally some salvage companies that do work in Western                                                                 
Alaska and the Lower 48.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:19:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE closed public testimony on SJR 11 am after                                                                         
ascertaining nobody else wished to testify.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
[SJR 11 am was held over.]