02/09/1993 11:15 AM Senate O&G

  SENATOR HALFORD called the Special Committee on Oil  and Gas                 
  meeting to order  at 11:15 a.m.  and announced SB 81  REPEAL                 
  65-DAY DEADLINE: OIL SPILL PLANS to be up for consideration.                 
                                                                               
  STEVE PORTER, ARCO, said this bill  comes from a grass roots                 
  effort from spill  planners, the agencies  - the people  who                 
  review plans  on a  daily basis.   They  have problems  with                 
  trying to  coordinate the Alaska Coastal  Management Program                 
  with  the  Alaska Department  of  Environmental Conservation                 
  Spill review  authority.  Deleting  the 65 day  provision in                 
  the statute does  not allow  for a stopping  process.   They                 
  recommend reviewing  DEC regulations to design a process for                 
  the interior and coordinate it  with the Alaska Coastal Zone                 
  program.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Number 57                                                                    
                                                                               
  JANICE  ADAIR,  Department  of  Environmental  Conservation,                 
  agreed with Mr. Porter's  testimony.  She said they  do want                 
  to make sure the  15 contingency plans from the  interior of                 
  Alaska are  not subject to  CZM review and  have the  65 day                 
  requirement so DEC has to take  some action during that time                 
  period.                                                                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR SALO asked if  65 days could be done  in regulation.                 
  MS. ADAIR said that it already was in regulation.                            
                                                                               
  Number 77                                                                    
                                                                               
                                                                               
  RUSSELL HEATH, Alaska Environmental  Lobby, supported SB  81                 
  because  it  would improve  the  ability  for both  the  oil                 
  companies  and  the  public to  review  the  oil contingency                 
  plans.