Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
04/16/2019 11:00 AM House ARCTIC POLICY, ECONOMIC DEV., & TOURISM
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Nome Benefits of an Arctic Deep Draft Port | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC POLICY,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM
April 16, 2019
12:26 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Sara Hannan, Chair
Representative John Lincoln
Representative Josh Revak
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Representative Chris Tuck
Representative Sara Rasmussen
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Neal Foster
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: NOME BENEFITS OF AN ARCTIC DEEP DRAFT PORT
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
RICHARD BENEVILLE, Mayor
City of Nome
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented on the benefits of an Arctic deep
draft port in Nome.
JOY BAKER, Port Director
City of Nome
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented on the benefits of an Arctic deep
draft port in Nome.
ACTION NARRATIVE
12:26:37 PM
CHAIR SARA HANNAN called the House Special Committee On Arctic
Policy, Economic Development, and Tourism meeting to order at
12:26 p.m. Representatives Revak, Lincoln, and Hannan were
present at the call to order. Also present was Representative
Foster.
^PRESENTATION: Nome Benefits of an Arctic Deep Draft Port
PRESENTATION: Nome Benefits of an Arctic Deep Draft Port
12:27:20 PM
CHAIR HANNAN announced that the only order of business would be
a presentation by Richard Beneville, Mayor of the City of Nome,
and Joy Baker, Port Director.
12:27:40 PM
RICHARD BENEVILLE, Mayor, City of Nome, began his PowerPoint
presentation [hard copy included in the committee packet]. He
declared his intention to bring a deep-water draft port to Nome.
He shared details about his life, including time spent in Barrow
and the 30 years he has lived in Nome. He stated that he is
familiar with the high Arctic and noted that he has long been
involved with the Port of Nome. He expressed excitement at
watching the Far North come of age.
MAYOR BENEVILLE noted that the City of Nome is less than 100
miles from the Bering Strait. He remarked that the Bering
Strait, along with the Panama Canal, is the Northern
Hemisphere's only passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific
Ocean. He said weaker, reduced ice has increased accessibility
to the Arctic Ocean. He recounted that there was open water in
Nome during the end of the recent Iditarod, which is atypical.
"What is happening," he stressed, "is happening so quickly.
MAYOR BENEVILLE recounted trips he has taken to Iceland,
Greenland, and Norway. He stated that those countries are not
looking at the future, they are actively in it. He noted that
Alaska has over half of the nation's coastline. He stressed
that the coastline is vulnerable, and actions must be taken to
protect it. He mused that there is very little infrastructure
north of Dutch Harbor.
MAYOR BENEVILLE gave a brief background of the City of Nome,
which incorporated in 1901. He spoke to the history of the
Inupiat people, as well as the Nome Gold Rush. He said Native
Alaskans make up 58 percent of Nome's current population, which
includes 3,800 residents. He observed that many more vessels
are calling on the Port of Nome. He relayed a quote from an
admiral about the opening of the North being akin to discovering
the Mediterranean Sea. He noted that relatively little is known
about the Arctic Ocean, "but we are learning fast." He shared
that Nome is a home port for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
12:32:42 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 2. He said Nome is a hub for
over 20 communities on the Seward Peninsula. He noted that
there are over 350 miles of roads in the area. He said 53
villages depend on the Port of Nome ranging from near Bethel to
near [Utqiagvik]. He remarked that commercial transit of goods
in the region had previously been limited due to
inaccessibility, but that is changing now. He spoke to the high
cost of living in Western Alaska. A new port, he argued, would
bolster the regional economy and reduce costs. He discussed the
considerable growth of tourism in Nome and noted that if the
Arctic is available to people, people will come. He shared that
the Norwegian cruise company Hurtigruten is bringing its hybrid-
powered ship, MS Roald Amundsen, to Nome. He remarked that the
things "that make the world tick" are coming to Nome. He
stressed, "We need to be ready."
12:36:37 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 3. He relayed that the United
States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) conducted a study earlier
in the decade to identify the optimal location for an Arctic
deep draft port. He said Nome was selected based on its
location and existing infrastructure. He predicted that one day
there will be "a series of infrastructure going north," noting
that maritime traffic will demand it. He shared his experience
having grown up during the Cold War and argued that the United
States must increase its watch on its Arctic Coast. He spoke to
the shared culture between Western Alaska and Siberia. He noted
that there is an intact White Alice Communications System site
located outside Nome. He shared details about its history and
the history of communications in rural Alaska during the Cold
War. He restated the need for a deep-water draft port.
12:39:08 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 4. He mentioned that the
federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act
(WIIN Act) of 2016 addressed the Port of Nome feasibility study
and adjusted certain definitions to account for the interests of
the surrounding villages. "It's more than just Nome," remarked
Mayor Beneville, "it's about Western Alaska." He said USACE and
the Department of Defense (DOD) have found that an Arctic deep
draft port in Nome is feasible. He noted that a report on the
study is to come. He relayed the remaining steps until
construction, including the need for the United States Congress
to provide funding. He expressed hope that a public-private
partnership will form.
12:40:42 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 5, which featured a chart
displaying traffic patterns through the Bering Strait. He
reminded the committee that the Bering Strait is only
approximately 50 miles wide. He referenced a group that wants
to build a railroad beneath the strait. He said the group
suspects that, in 75 years, 20 to 30 percent of the freight
traffic that goes through the Panama Canal will instead go
through the North. Mayor Beneville said infrastructure
improvements in the North would expand the horizon for both
Alaska and the world. He spoke to efforts to improve
communication between ships and land. He relayed how villages
in the region are able to alert ships to the location of
subsistence whalers. He spoke to the importance of protecting
the subsistence lifestyle of Alaska Natives. He listed
additional benefits to developing maritime infrastructure in the
Arctic, including to national security, life safety, economic
viability, and environmental safety. He commented on the
effects of warming in the region and how he tracks climate
through flowers, birds, and berries. He relayed lessons he
learned by listening to Alaska Native elders. He called the
Alaska Native people "the most adaptive people on the planet."
12:44:53 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE address slide 6. He spoke to the possibility of
Nome accommodating larger tour ships. He presented a
hypothetical situation in which a 1,000-person ship becomes
involved in a maritime disaster. He asked, "Where do you send
them? What do you do with these people that are in dire need?"
He stressed the importance of preparedness. He discussed
Crystal Serenity, an 820-foot ship that called on Nome in 2016
and 2017. He distinguished between the Northwest Passage and
the Northeast Passage, the latter of which is used by the
Russians and Chinese. He compared the Bering Strait to "the eye
of the needle." He stressed the need to share the strait.
MAYOR BENEVILLE discussed the Polar Code, adopted by the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) which regulates what
can and cannot be taken into the Arctic Ocean. He said this
includes fuel restrictions. He spoke to the revenue
opportunities associated with being an Arctic reception area.
He noted that certain wastes cannot be carried by ships into the
Arctic Ocean. He suggested that Nome could expand its waste
facilities to accept restricted wastes from ships heading North.
He said this would be good for the region, good for Nome, and
good for maritime transportation. He relayed that accessibility
to the Arctic is to be the major topic of a large meeting in
Singapore this spring. He spoke to the economic and
environmental benefits of reducing the miles required for a
journey.
12:49:40 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 7. He said the opening of the
North is good for the people who live there. He relayed a
discussion he had with First Nations leaders from the High
Arctic about "what's in it for them." Mayor Beneville said that
is a very fair question. He said it is important to connect
people who wish to be connected and respect those who do not.
He discussed measures to increase tourism in Greenland and spoke
to the thirst for learning that he sees from modern tourists.
He described infrastructural improvements on Alaska's North
Slope as a result of development and investment. He said he
wants Nome to similarly look toward the future. He pointed to
industrial support and the harnessing of natural resources as
additional benefits to Arctic development. He discussed
arguments in favor of mining and resource development in the
region. He spoke to efforts by Russia to claim natural
resources in the Arctic.
12:53:48 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slides 8 and 9. He summarized
potential benefits to economic/cultural sustainability and
environmental safety. He revisited the topic of national
security. He said the United States Coast Guard (USCG) loves
coming to Nome. He described services provided by the Port of
Nome to USCG and NOAA vessels. He said Nome is also a port of
refuge during storms.
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slides 10 and 11, which featured a
satellite photo displaying proposed development at the Port of
Nome. He said the plan is to extend the existing causeway 3,500
feet and construct an arm to protect it from winds and tides.
He added that the breakwater would also be moved with three new
piers constructed upon it. He said the development plan
supports both people who wish to visit Nome and the goods, such
as rock and gravel, exported out of Nome. He said the expanded
port could be completed by 2027 and digging could commence as
early as 2023. He spoke to the importance of getting the
project started.
12:57:11 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 12, which featured a list of
requests relating to project support from the City of Nome to
the Alaska State Legislature. He referenced HJR 14, which urges
support for the port. He said the legislation would assist in
bringing more jobs to Alaskans, help sustain Alaska Native
culture, help the environment, and attract investment capital.
He stressed that the benefits of the port would extend to the
region, the state, and the nation.
MAYOR BENEVILLE addressed slide 13, which featured a photo of
Nome in the winter. He pointed out a vessel, MT Renda, which
brought fuel to Nome in 2012.
12:58:06 PM
JOY BAKER, Port Director, City of Nome, said there are huge
benefits to expanding the Port of Nome. She said one specific
benefit would be the ability to refuel and resupply National
Security Cutters, icebreakers, and United States Navy vessels.
She noted that vessels invested in securing the region would
find it easier to obtain these services in Nome rather than
journey to Dutch Harbor. She said a port expansion would also
expand search and rescue capabilities as well as the ability to
respond to an oil spill. She stated that the expanded port
would provide port of refuge conditions for national security
vessels and other large ships during a Bering Sea storm. She
opined that the Port of Nome is not just a community or regional
port, rather that it supports the entire state and the entire
nation. She noted that it would be the only maritime
infrastructure in the United States Arctic. She requested the
legislature's support.
1:00:00 PM
MAYOR BENEVILLE listed various dignitaries who have recently
visited Nome. He relayed a quote from Richard V. Spencer,
United States Secretary of the Navy, who stated that there needs
to be "big gray ships in the Far North." He thanked the
committee for its time and support.
1:00:51 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee On Arctic Policy, Economic Development, and
Tourism meeting was adjourned at 1:01 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Nome ADDP - Alaska HAET 2019.pdf |
HAET 4/16/2019 11:00:00 AM |
Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port Presentation |