Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
04/30/2007 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB229 | |
| SJR6 | |
| HB152 | |
| HB220 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 220 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SJR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 152 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 229 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
CSHB 152(FIN)-ESTABLISH RENEWABLE ENERGY FUND/ACCOUNT
4:47:07 PM
CHAIR HUGGINS announced CSHB 152(FIN) to be up for
consideration.
REPRESENTATIVE BILL THOMAS, sponsor of HB 152, said in 2003 the
Alaska Task Force recommended that the state increase
development of renewable resources. Further, with the high cost
of fuel in Alaska it has been very difficult for rural Alaskans
to prosper and many have to decide if they want to heat, have
heat, fuel or health care. He said the time has come to
seriously explore other renewable sources of energy such as
wind, geothermal, solar and hydro. Many communities have already
been researching ways to secure cleaner and more cost efficient
energy and they need funding to help harness these renewable
sources of power.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS said that HB 152 establishes a renewable
energy fund which will be administrated by the Alaska Energy
Authority (AEA). AEA would take advice from an advisory
committee with members appointed by the governor from various
utilities, environmental businesses, and Native stakeholder
groups. The fund will offer both loan and grant options for
Alaskans to develop renewable energy projects throughout the
state.
4:49:42 PM
CHERISSE MILLETT, staff to Representative Harris, presented the
sectional analysis. She highlighted that grants are eligible for
new projects only and can use a renewable energy resource or
natural gas. Natural gas is used as a last resort for those
communities in rural Alaska that don't have renewable energy
sources. Any natural gas project has to benefit a community with
a population of 10,000 or less.
She said that the loan fund is revolving so it doesn't deplete
itself and the grant fund was designed as a percentage of market
value making it sustainable once the money is appropriated.
4:52:48 PM
PETER CRIMP, Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), said he was
available to answer questions.
4:53:15 PM
CAITLIN HIGGENS, Acting Executive Director, Alaska Conservation
Alliance, strongly supported HB 152. She said, "Blessed with
unparalleled renewable energy resources, Alaska has the
opportunity to lead American and the world in the development of
clean renewable energy resources...."
4:54:46 PM
WILLIAM PUTNAM, Acting Forestry Director, Tanana Chiefs
Conference, said the Conference is a non-profit Native
corporation which provides a variety of services to about 40
villages scattered around Interior Alaska and as such its
primary clients are the village and tribal governments. Many of
the programs the Tanana Chiefs direct try to improve the
economic and social sustainability of those communities. The
increasing cost of using fossil fuels has made it imperative to
develop renewable alternative resources for energy. He fully
supported HB 152 saying that many of the villages lack to
resources to pursue some of these options themselves and many of
them are interested in bio-energy and bio-mass resource
development in achieving self sufficiency.
SARA FISHER-GOAD, Deputy Director of Operations, Alaska Energy
Authority, said she had prepared an amendment.
CHAIR HUGGINS moved to adopt Amendment 1 as follows:
On page 1, line 11: delete the comma after "river."
On page 3, line 9: insert "..., which shall be the
fiduciary of the fund under AS 37.10.071." after
"Revenue," (requested by the Department of Revenue)
On page 3, lines 7 & 8, delete the first instance of
"energy" and insert "electricity," and delete "run on"
and insert "use hydrogen from"
On page 3, lines 9 & 10: delete (D) in its entirety
because it is covered in (E)
On page 5, line 21: delete the comma after "river"
4:57:30 PM
MS. MILLETT said that the changes in Amendment 1 were all minor.
SENATOR STEVENS asked for the rationale used to make the
eligibility for 10,000 people or less.
4:59:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS explained that they followed the gas
pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks, took a left and came
down the Highway. There are no communities in between and he
didn't want to encourage people to use natural gas since that is
the last option. That area also has no river, no wind and no
hydro energy. He wanted to keep some communities from using all
the natural gas the state is trying to sell down south as well
as encourage alternative energy sources.
CHAIR HUGGINS found no further objections and Amendment 1 was
adopted.
4:59:51 PM4:59:51 PM
CHAIR HUGGINS asked if HB 152 had met any resistance.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS responded that he found no resistance and
has rather received compliments; he pointed out that the Denali
Commission is also one of the designees.
5:00:54 PM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to pass SCS HB 152(RES) with attached
fiscal note and individual recommendations. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
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