03/01/2007 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB56 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 56 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 1, 2007
8:10 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Anna Fairclough, Co-Chair
Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Co-Chair
Representative Mark Neuman
Representative Sharon Cissna
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom
Representative Kurt Olson
Representative Woodie Salmon
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 56
"An Act establishing the Hydrogen Energy Partnership in the
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development;
requiring the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic
development to seek public and private funding for the
partnership; providing for the contingent repeal of an effective
date; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 56(CRA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 56
SHORT TITLE: HYDROGEN ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) CRAWFORD, DOLL
01/16/07 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/5/07
01/16/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/07 (H) CRA, RES, FIN
02/15/07 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 124
02/15/07 (H) Heard & Held
02/15/07 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
03/01/07 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE HARRY CRAWFORD
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke as the sponsor of HB 56.
MARY SADDLER, Legislative Liaison
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During hearing of HB 56, answered
questions.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CO-CHAIR GABRIELLE LEDOUX called the House Community and
Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:10:27
AM. Representatives LeDoux, Fairclough, Neuman, and Cissna were
present at the call to order.
HB 56-HYDROGEN ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM
8:10:51 AM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 56, "An Act establishing the Hydrogen Energy
Partnership in the Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development; requiring the commissioner of commerce,
community, and economic development to seek public and private
funding for the partnership; providing for the contingent repeal
of an effective date; and providing for an effective date."
8:11:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN moved to adopt CSHB 56, Version 25-
LS0291\C, Kane, 2/23/07, as the working document. There being
no objection, Version C was before the committee.
8:11:47 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRY CRAWFORD, Alaska State Legislature,
explained that only a couple of the changes embodied in Version
C were substantive. One substantive change was to have the
funds go to the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) directly rather
than through the Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic
Development.
8:12:53 AM
MARY SADDLER, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development,
explained that originally the legislation called for the work to
be performed within DCCED, and therefore the funds would have to
be passed to AEA through a fiscal note and a reimbursable
services agreement. Therefore, Version C removes one
administrative step while still following the intent and purpose
of the law and getting the funds to those best suited to perform
the work.
8:13:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD continued by pointing out that on page
2, line 31, the board membership was changed by replacing the
language "a political subdivision of the state" with "an Alaska
regional development organization". Any other changes in
Version C were modifications to make the language more
scientifically correct. Representative Crawford then showed a
one-minute video from Toyota that illustrated wind power use at
a small island in Norway.
8:17:42 AM
CO-CHAIR FAIRCLOUGH inquired as to the capital investment on the
project in Norway.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD replied that he didn't know, but added
that it's a custom-made project. He opined that as technology
comes along with these alternative energy sources, the prices
will decrease.
CO-CHAIR FAIRCLOUGH said she was thinking about a community such
as Bethel where there is so much wind and wondered what the
capital cost of such a project would be versus the cost of power
cost equalization on an annual basis.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD opined, "That would be a reason for
having the hydrogen partnership."
8:18:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA related that she spoke with someone
regarding whether the wind system in Kotzebue who said that due
to careful planning prior to implementation, about one-third of
[the community's] power is generated by wind and there are
virtually no large problems at all. Although wind energy will
never be the total answer, it saves the community a great deal,
she said.
8:20:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked if any large companies are
interested in putting money into a hydrogen energy partnership.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD opined that the video illustrates that
large companies are interested. In further response to
Representative Neuman, Representative Crawford said that this
legislation is necessary to attract these companies to Alaska.
8:22:44 AM
CO-CHAIR FAIRCLOUGH moved to report CSHB 56, Version 25-
LS0291\C, Kane, 2/23/07, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, CSHB 56(CRA) was reported from the House Community
and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.
8:23:17 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 8:23 a.m.
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