02/14/1995 05:12 PM House WTR

 HWTR - 02/14/95                                                               
 HJR 26 - OIL & GAS ROYALTIES                                                 
                                                                              
 Number 469                                                                    
                                                                             
 REPRESENTATIVE NORMAN ROKEBERG, sponsor of the measure, said this             
 legislation serves as a reminder to Congress that they do not                 
 have the unilateral right to amend the Alaska Statehood Act.                  
 Alaska has tried since statehood to avoid a confrontation over                
 issues by working with Congress to ensure that any post-statehood             
 amendments to the Statehood Act did not materially diminish the               
 rights conferred to the state of Alaska by the act of admission               
 into the United States.  Representative Rokeberg pointed out that             
 Section 28 of the Statehood Act clearly states the formula for                
 sharing bonuses, royalties, and rentals under leases will be                  
 distributed 90 percent to Alaska and 10 percent to the U.S.                   
 Treasury.   He added that this resolution seeks to reinforce                  
 Alaska's resolve to protect our right to the 90/10 sharing                    
 formula granted by Congress on July 7, 1958.                                  
                                                                               
 Number 500                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS would like the sponsor to verify the date             
 that Alaskans voted on the Statehood Compact.                                 
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG said he will look into verifying the                  
 April date.                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS was excused from the meeting at 5:55 p.m.             
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER asked the sponsor if Congress was working               
 on legislation to reduce Alaska's royalty share percentage.                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG responded that testimony in committee                 
 hearings was taken that the preference by the congressional                   
 delegation for Committee Substitute for HJR 13 (Oil & Gas) was                
 not have any indication or they preferred not to have the                     
 royalty-share mentioned in that particular resolution.                        
 Objections were raised.  Representative Rokeberg shared the basic             
 premise that we should not diminish any of our revenues.                      
                                                                               
 Number 535                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG indicated that in conversations with all              
 three of Alaska's congressional offices, the feeling in                       
 Washington, D.C. is that if we are going to open up the Arctic                
 National Wildlife Refuge that they would be prepared to revert to             
 a 50-50 split.                                                                
                                                                               
 TAPE 95-4, SIDE B                                                             
 Number 000                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER made a motion for a friendly amendment to               
 delete lines 12 and 13 from page 2.                                           
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN BARNES called for the question.  Hearing no objection,               
 the motion passed.                                                            
                                                                               
 Number 044                                                                    
                                                                               
 SARA HANNAH, Executive Director of the Alaska Environmental                   
 Lobby, Inc., thought that it's not only the state's right but the             
 responsibility of a frugal owner, especially with regard to                   
 nonrenewable resources to oversee responsible, respectable                    
 development and that Alaska deserves 90 percent of the oil and                
 gas royalties due the state in the Statehood Compact.                         
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER made a motion to move HJR 26(am) out of                 
 committee with individual recommendations.                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN BARNES called for the question.  Hearing no objection,               
 the resolution passed out of committee.