03/20/2018 08:30 AM Senate SPECIAL CMTE ON THE ARCTIC

             HJR 19-ARCTIC MARINE SAFETY AGREEMENTS                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:29:34 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the consideration of HJR 19.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:29:50 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHN LINCOLN,  Alaska State  Legislature, sponsor                                                               
of HJR 19,  said the resolution addresses a basic  lack of safety                                                               
regulations in  international waters off  the coast of  Alaska, a                                                               
topic of  great concern to  his district. Part of  the resolution                                                               
commends  the  2014  creation  of  the  Arctic  Waterways  Safety                                                               
Committee,  a group  composed  of  Arctic municipalities,  marine                                                               
mammal hunting  groups, and Arctic  marine shipping  interests to                                                               
promote   safe    and   environmentally    responsible   shipping                                                               
operations. The resolution encourages  and promotes marine safety                                                               
prevention  measures  for  international traffic  in  the  Bering                                                               
Strait.  It  states  that the  Alaska  Legislature  supports  the                                                               
adoption of prevention measures  into international agreements to                                                               
ensure clear,  universal, and enforceable safety  measures in the                                                               
Arctic.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:30:55 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN  said the  Bering Strait is  under federal                                                               
jurisdiction beyond the three miles from  shore and up to the end                                                               
of  the   nation's  exclusive  economic  zone.   Beyond  that  is                                                               
international and Russian waters.  The resolution also encourages                                                               
the  governor   and  Congressional  delegation  to   promote  the                                                               
adoption   of   spill   prevention  measures   in   international                                                               
agreements.  That  is  the  best  way  to  ensure  that  Alaska's                                                               
coastlines and  residents are  protected by  rules that  apply to                                                               
vessels  of  all  nations.  The resolution  also  calls  for  the                                                               
president and  U.S. Department of State  to initiate negotiations                                                               
with  Alaska's  coastal  neighbors to  enter  into  international                                                               
agreements to ensure safe  and environmentally responsible marine                                                               
operations.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:31:42 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE   LINCOLN  said   the  resolution   mentions  some                                                               
international  agreements  that  the   U.S.  has  not  chosen  to                                                               
participate in. Until  the U.S. chooses to  participate in those,                                                               
the best  means of addressing the  lack of regulation is  to work                                                               
directly with Alaska's neighbors with bilateral agreements.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:32:08 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL said  she appreciated that he  presented data about                                                               
transits  through  the Bering  Strait.  She  and Senator  Hoffman                                                               
discussed  that  significant  topic   during  the  Arctic  Policy                                                               
Commission.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:32:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL opened public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:33:01 AM                                                                                                                    
WILLIE  GOODWIN,   Chair,  Arctic  Waterways   Safety  Committee,                                                               
supported HJR 19.  He said they started working  on safety issues                                                               
for mariners back in 2012. In  2010 the hunters from St. Lawrence                                                               
Island  noticed a  lot  of  big Russian  ships  going north.  The                                                               
hunters became  concerned and started discussions  with the Coast                                                               
Guard.  The Coast  Guard suggested  they form  this committee  to                                                               
develop  safe  practices  for  mariners.  The  committee  has  15                                                               
members  with  hunter  groups,  industry,  the  people  who  haul                                                               
freight and oil to Bering  communities, and the tourism industry.                                                               
They  have  been working  on  safe  practices for  waterways  for                                                               
everyone's safety who uses the waterways.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:35:11 AM                                                                                                                    
MR. GOODWIN  said they have  a funding issue. If  the legislature                                                               
or someone could fund a  communication infrastructure, that would                                                               
take care of  all the issues they have. When  industry was in the                                                               
Chukchi Sea,  Shell had established a  communication network with                                                               
all  the  communities in  the  North  Slope Borough,  along  with                                                               
Kotzebue and St. Lawrence Island.  There was a communication link                                                               
to inform  various communities of  shipping traffic.  After Shell                                                               
pulled out,  they have had  no communication  between communities                                                               
and large ships  going north. It is a big  concern for the safety                                                               
of hunters.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:37:20 AM                                                                                                                    
MR. GOODWIN said  the hunters need to know where  ships are going                                                               
and the  speed in the water  in front of these  communities. They                                                               
continue  to  work with  various  tribes  on coastal  Alaska,  so                                                               
hunters are informed of ships  heading north and south. There are                                                               
also tour ships  from New York and Europe going  to Siberia. That                                                               
industry  is  going to  increase.  The  safety  of hunters  is  a                                                               
concern.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:38:35 AM                                                                                                                    
MR. GOODWIN  said he was  in support of  HJR 19. It  is important                                                               
that the president and the  Congressional delegation be on top of                                                               
this. They  have met with  the Congressional delegation  a couple                                                               
of  times to  bring the  issue  up. Any  help from  the state  of                                                               
Alaska would be appreciated.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:39:16 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL closed public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:40:02 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR GIESSEL entertained a motion to move HJR 19.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HOFFMAN moved HJR 19, Version 30-LS0680\D, from                                                                         
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:40:27 AM                                                                                                                    
There being no objection, CSHJR 19(AET) moved from the Senate                                                                   
Special Committee on the Arctic.