Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/12/1999 05:13 PM House EDT
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM
May 12, 1999
5:13 p.m.
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT
TAPE(S)
99-8, SIDE(S) A
CALL TO ORDER
Representative Phillips, Chairman, convened the House Special
Committee on Economic Development & Tourism meeting at 5:13 p.m.
PRESENT
Committee members present at the call to order were Representatives
Phillips, Rokeberg, Dyson, Halcro, and Cissna.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION
CHAIR PHILLIPS reminded the committee that at the beginning of the
year she requested committee members think about possible road
projects. There were four different suggestions: Rock Creek -
Nome area; Pogo Project - Northeast of Delta Junction; Donlin Creek
- Kuskokwim area; and Williamsport Road - Iliamna Bay to Pile Bay.
Each project ties into some form of resource development which was
one of the tenets set. Chair Phillips noted that letters have been
written to U.S. Senator Ted Stevens to place design funding for the
Donlin Creek Mine Road in this year's appropriations bill. She
noted that the Pogo Project could end up being a railroad extension
versus a road. Chair Phillips announced that plans would be worked
up on all four projects, if the committee is supportive.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA commented that she had been working on the
Internet Highway project. There are many places in which the last
mile of connectivity is not happening; sometimes it is the private
telephone companies. Perhaps, the best approach would be to have
a hearing involving all the players possible, including the Utility
Restructuring members. She indicated the need to perform a survey
prior to that to determine the various Internet providers in the
villages.
TOM BRIGHAM, Director, Division of Statewide Planning, Department
of Transportation & Public Facilities, informed the committee that
of the four projects proposed, he believed that three are in the
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). He recalled
that Williamsport Road, Donlin Creek, and Rock Creek had been
reviewed, but said he would have to review the records. He pointed
out that Williamsport - Pile Bay is the only road that could be
classified as a general purpose road. The other projects receive
points for economic development, but there seems to be an absence
of other public benefits. He suggested the notion of cost sharing
with the mine companies on these projects which would boost the
scoring. Per Representative Dyson's request, Mr. Brigham agreed to
review the department's records on the Williamsport project with
regard to dock access and provide the committee with a cost
analysis.
MR. BRIGHAM commented that the department's system is set up to do
community roads as well as to promote economic development. He
noted that one model is the Red Dog Road for which AIDEA (Alaska
Industrial Development and Export Authority) put up the funding and
built the road. Now the mine is paying that back over time. If
such were proposed in these four projects, he was not sure the
deposits would be rich enough to do so. However, there are other
ways. He said that the department would look for some kind of
private contribution which would be matched or propel a greater
amount of public money to bring the project. There would be
attempts to achieve the appropriate mix of private and public
money.
CHAIR PHILLIPS commented that the rail line to the Arctic Coal
project is not listed, but can be added.
MR. BRIGHAM informed the committee that with some of the high
priority funds provided by Congress, the department will be
performing a Northwest Alaska transportation plan analogous to the
one recently completed in Southeast Alaska. In response to
Representative Dyson, Mr. Brigham said that the department has
looked into the road into Klutina Lake. He commented that there
are some private land holdings impediments; however, there is
recreational potential.
There was discussion regarding other possible projects the
committee could review.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The committee took no action.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.
NOTE:
The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A
copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the
House Records Office at 130 Seward Street, Suite 211, Juneau,
Alaska 99801-1182, (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the
second session of the Twenty-first Alaska State Legislature, in the
Legislative Reference Library.
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