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 |
SJR 6-OPPOSE WILDERNESS DESIGNATION FOR ANWR
4:31:53 PM
CHAIR HUGGINS announced SJR 6 to be up for consideration.
JODY SIMPSON, staff to Senator Huggins, explained that in
January 2007, Representatives Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts
and Jim Ramstad of Minnesota introduced HR 39 as an extension of
the Udall/Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act and it was referred
to the U.S. House Resources Committee. A copy of HR 39 was in
their packets. She said that SJR 6 addresses that resolution.
4:32:31 PM
She said further:
Oil and gas exploration and development of the Arctic
Coastal Plain could result in discoveries that would
reduce our nation's future need on imported oil, help
balance the nation's trade deficit and significantly
increase the nation's security. You have paperwork in
your packet that speaks to the vast economic potential
for this project.
In 1980 the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act (ANILCA) Congress reserved the right
to permit further activities within the Coastal Plain.
At this time, 8.9 million of the 19 million acres of
the Refuge have already been set aside as wilderness.
Current enhancements in technology can be used in a
manner that minimizes the area within the Refuge that
is used for exploration and development while
providing the nation with a needed supply of oil and
gas. This resolution before you, if adopted, urges the
U.S. Congress to defeat HR 39 and, therefore, allow
additional activities within the Coastal Plain.
MS. SIMPSON said she worked with Daniel Kish who works on the
House Committee on Resources in Washington, D.C. to draft this
language and she pointed out a series of amendments that our
drafters provided that are mostly housekeeping measures.
4:34:18 PM
FRAN MAUER, Alaska Outdoor Council, said he is a 36 year
resident of Alaska and a graduate of the University of Alaska
Fairbanks. During his time in the state he has had the
opportunity to work with the wildlife biologists on the Arctic
Refuge Coastal Plain and he has made many personal trips there
as well. He opposed SJR 6 because the Coastal Plain of the
Arctic Refuge is the most essential area of an international
eco-system that is unparalleled in the entire circumpolar region
for its wildlife and its wilderness values.
He asserted, "Indeed, designation of this area as wilderness by
the U.S. Congress is actually the right thing to do" especially
with the ever-growing implications of human-induced global
warming. Now is the time for Alaska to show leadership in the
development of clean renewable energy resources such as wind,
geothermal and tidal and not to continue as the supplier of oil.
4:36:36 PM
PAMELA MILLER, Arctic Coordinator, Northern Alaska Environmental
Center, urged that the United State and Alaska move toward
getting off of fossil fuels. She said the Interior Department's
environmental statement that the congressional drilling bills
rely on state that oil and gas development would damage the
wilderness character of the Coastal Plain and that it would be
irretrievably lost as a result.
She asked if the state's citizens should really trust Exxon, BP,
and ConocoPhillips after what happened last year with the
largest crude oil spill ever in the North Slope caused by
negligent corrosion. Industry has not demonstrated that it can
be trusted on environmental health and safety. She said the
National Research Council in 2003 found that cumulative impacts
from North Slope development harmed the land, birds, caribou,
endangered bowhead whale migration and other wildlife and Alaska
Native culture.
She opposed SJR 6 saying that even Gene Iacocca, former CEO of
Chrysler Corporation, said we need to think about our future use
of fossil fuels.
SENATOR WAGONER asked who funds her group.
MS. MILLER replied that is funded by its members and by grants.
4:41:11 PM
MATTHEW GILBERT, Venetie Tribal Government, said he is Gwichen
Athabascan. He opposed SJR 6 because oil and gas development
would detrimentally harm the Porcupine caribou herd on which
Gwichens critically rely on for food, subsistence and cultural
ways. They have been fighting this issue for 25 years. He
stated:
I believe it is beating a dead horse because the
country has voted again and again in support of us and
it's been defeated in Congress over and over. I think
this is just distracting us from a real true economic
policy, which is renewable energy because our fossil
fuels are running out. It's worsening global
warming....
MR. GILBERT also said that he supported HB 152.
4:44:42 PM
SENATOR GREEN moved Amendment 1 that consisted of housekeeping
issues.
25-LS0869\A.1
Bullock
AMENDMENT 1
OFFERED IN THE HOUSE
Page 1, line 1:
Delete "House Resolution"
Insert "H.R."
Page 1, line 6:
Delete "House Resolution"
Insert "H.R."
Page 2, line 4:
Delete "ANCILA"
Insert "ANILCA"
Page 2, line 17:
Delete "House Resolution"
Insert "H.R."
There were no objections and Amendment 1 was adopted.
SENATOR STEVENS moved to pass SCS SJR 6(RES) with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
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