04/18/2005 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

9:05:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 69                                                                                                         
     "An Act  making special appropriations  to promote the  opening                                                            
     of  the  Arctic  National  Wildlife  Refuge  for  oil  and  gas                                                            
     exploration  and development;  and providing  for an  effective                                                            
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MARY JACKSON,  Staff  to Senator  Tom Wagoner,  testified that  this                                                            
legislation  is sponsored  by  the Senate  Resources  Committee  and                                                            
would provide  an appropriation to  Arctic Power for its  efforts to                                                            
open the Arctic National  Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil development.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:06:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Dyson asked  which version  of the bill  the Committee  was                                                            
considering.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Green clarified  the original  version  of the bill  would                                                            
appropriate  $1.2 million,  while a proposed  committee substitute,                                                             
Version "G" would appropriate $1.3 million.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:07:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stedman  moved to adopt CS  SB 69, 24-LS0438\G as  a working                                                            
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Without objection the committee  substitute was ADOPTED as a working                                                            
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:07:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Green  remarked that annual  appropriations have  been made                                                            
to Arctic Power  from the State general fund for several  years. She                                                            
noted the appropriation  in this legislation would  actually be made                                                            
to the Department  of Commerce, Community  and Economic Development                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:08:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson offered a  motion to report CS SB 69, 24-LS0438\G from                                                            
Committee with individual recommendations.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There was no objection and CS SB 69 (FIN) MOVED from Committee.