02/15/1994 09:20 AM Senate FIN

  CSSB 210(RES): An Act  relating to  disposals of  state land                 
                 within  five miles of the right-of-way of the                 
                 Dalton Highway  to a licensed  public utility                 
                 or  a licensed  common  carrier; relating  to                 
                 disposals  of  state land  for nonresidential                 
                 development in nodes of development along the                 
                 Dalton Highway; and allowing state leases and                 
                 materials   sales    for   construction    or                 
                 maintenance  of  airports  along  the  Dalton                 
                 Highway.                                                      
                                                                               
                 Senator Sharp,  sponsor of SB  210, testified                 
                 in  support  of  the bill.    Amendment  1 by                 
                 Senator Sharp was ADOPTED with no objections.                 
                 CSSB 210(FIN)  was REPORTED OUT  of committee                 
                 with a "do  pass" and  zero fiscal notes  for                 
                 the Department of  Natural Resources and  the                 
                 Department   of   Transportation   &   Public                 
                 Facilities.                                                   
                                                                               
  CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 210(RES):                                             
                                                                               
       An  Act relating to disposals of state land within five                 
       miles of the  right-of-way of the  Dalton Highway to  a                 
       licensed public utility  or a licensed  common carrier;                 
       relating to disposals of state  land for nonresidential                 
       development in  nodes of  development along the  Dalton                 
       Highway; and allowing state leases and  materials sales                 
       for construction  or maintenance of airports  along the                 
       Dalton Highway.                                                         
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce invited Senator  Sharp to speak  to SB 210.                 
  Senator Sharp stated  that under  current statute the  state                 
  was  prohibited  from  disposing of  or  leasing  state land                 
  within  5 miles of  the right-of-way of  the Dalton Highway.                 
  The state owned many acres that could not be leased or sold.                 
  These acres had  recently been transferred from  the federal                 
  to  the  state  under  the  state  selection  process.    He                 
  explained that the extreme limitations on state land did not                 
  recognize or  allow for public  need on  the newly  acquired                 
  state  land.   He  went  on  to explain  problems  with both                 
  existing and new  leases to  utilities.  He  said this  bill                 
  would enable telephone service,  other utilities and airport                 
  and highway and other public service needs  to be addressed.                 
  He urged favorable consideration of SB 210.                                  
                                                                               
  Senator Sharp explained that his  proposed amendment 1 would                 
  tighten the  title enough  to allow  for reconstruction  and                 
  maintenance of state highways and on page 2 would delete the                 
  words "the highway  north of 68 degrees north  latitude" and                 
  adds the words "or construction or maintenance of airports."                 
                                                                               
  End SFC-94 #25, Side 1                                                       
  Begin SFC-94 #25, Side 2                                                     
                                                                               
  Senator Rieger asked for a definition of a development node.                 
  Co-chair Frank believed that the BLM had been designated for                 
  service development.                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
  CLYDE STOLTZFUS, Special  Assistant, Commissioner's  Office,                 
  Department of Transportation & Public Facilities came before                 
  the committee to answer Senator Rieger's question.   He said                 
  that  BLM,  in  setting  up  a  management  scheme  for  the                 
  corridor, established eight development nodes.  A node was a                 
  land area set aside to be managed for development.  Co-chair                 
  Frank felt  that the  regulation would  prevent the  private                 
  sector  from  building  restaurants  or  gas  stations  just                 
  anywhere.  Mr. Stoltzfus said he did not know the size  of a                 
  node  but  BLM managed  them  and  it was  constricted  to a                 
  certain size.                                                                
                                                                               
  JERRY GALLAGHER, Legislative Liaison,  Department of Natural                 
  Resources, said that  there were maps available  that showed                 
  the  development   nodes.    The  bill  identified  specific                 
  development  nodes  by  name and  were  shown  on this  map.                 
  Distinct areas  comprised several sections.   These sections                 
  of  state  owned  land were  available  along  the corridor,                 
  comprised of several thousand acres,  and generally south of                 
  the Brooks Range.   Co-chair Pearce said the nodes  were not                 
  necessarily by pump  stations.   They represented  currently                 
  developed activities along the corridor  for either road and                 
  airport  maintenance, or road  service facilities,  such as,                 
  fish & game camps, gravel sites, etc.                                        
                                                                               
  Senator  Rieger  asked  the  pattern  going  up  the  Dalton                 
  Highway.  Mr.  Gallagher confirmed  that it was  state-owned                 
  land that was being permitted for development.  BLM land was                 
  not.  He  said it was especially true south of the divide on                 
  the  Brooks  Range.    Yukon   Crossing  and  Coldfoot  were                 
  essentially the only state-owned land.                                       
                                                                               
  Senator Rieger said he felt that BLM had drawn a line around                 
  the outside state-owned  and said, this was  the development                 
  node.  Mr. Gallagher felt it was a fair assessment.                          
                                                                               
  Senator  Sharp  MOVED for  adoption  of  amendment  1.    No                 
  objections being heard, amendment 1 was ADOPTED.                             
                                                                               
  CO-CHAIR  FRANK  MOVED for  passage  of CSSB  210(FIN).   No                 
  objections being heard,  CSSB 210(FIN)  was REPORTED OUT  of                 
  committee with a  "do pass", and  zero fiscal notes for  the                 
  Department  of  Natural  Resources  and  the  Department  of                 
  Transportation  & Public Facilities.   Co-chairs  Pearce and                 
  Frank,  Senators  Jacko  and  Sharp   signed  a  "do  pass."                 
  Senators Kelly and Rieger signed "no recommendation."                        
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:00 a.m.