Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/15/1993 08:35 AM House FIN
| Audio | Topic |
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 15, 1993
8:35 A.M.
TAPE HFC 93 - 106, Side 2, #000 - #424.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Ron Larson called the meeting of the House Finance
Committee to order at 8:35 A.M.
PRESENT
Co-Chair Larson Representative Brown
Co-Chair MacLean Representative Foster
Vice-Chair Hanley Representative Grussendorf
Representative Martin Representative Therriault
Representative Parnell
Representatives Hoffman and Navarre were not present for the
meeting.
ALSO PRESENT
Steve Panone, (teleconference), President, Government Hill
Community Council, Anchorage, Alaska; Robert Reges,
Assistant Attorney General, General Civil Section,
Department of Law.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
HB 167 An Act relating to air quality control and the
prevention, abatement, and control of air
pollution; relating to civil and criminal
penalties, damages, and other remedies for air
quality control violations; clarifying the
definition of `hazardous substance' to include
releases and threatened releases to the
atmosphere; amending the lien provisions relating
to the oil and hazardous substance release
response fund; relating to inspection and
enforcement powers of the Department of
Environmental Conservation; and providing for an
effective date.
HB 167 was held in Committee for further
discussion.
Co-Chair Larson placed HB 167 into Subcommittee with
Representative Therriault as Chair and with members
Representative Hanley, Representative Parnell and
1
Representative Brown.
STEVE PANONE, (teleconference), PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT HILL
COMMUNITY COUNCIL, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, provided the Committee
background information regarding previous benzene gas fumes
on Government Hill. The Department of Environmental
Conservation captured air samples of the gas to verify that
there was a problem. At this time, the vapors have been
eliminated. He added, Government Hill Community Council
supports the amendments provided by Representative Kay
Brown.
Representative Brown indicated that the Department of Law
will address their concerns with the bill in the
Subcommittee.
ROBERT REGES, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, CIVIL SERVICE
SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, explained the amendment provided
by the Department of Law address Sections #.010 and #.015.
He provided the Committee with a copy of the Department of
Law concerns addressing proposed sections and amendments
included with other minor changes sought by the Department.
[Attachment #5].
Representative Brown provided the Committee with a packet of
amendments addressing both the technical and substantive
issues. [Attachment #3].
She provided the Committee with a brief history of the bill
process. Representative Brown introduced HB 39 on 1/11/93.
At the request of the Department of Environmental
Conservation, she introduced a sponsor substitute on
2/03/93, incorporating the working group's proposal. On
2/19/93, Representative Hanley introduced HB 167 which
incorporated HB 39 as well as other elements from the old SB
383, which was never adopted.
HB 39 was referred to the House Labor and Commerce, House
Resources and House Finance Committees. HB 167 was not
referred to the House Resources Committee. The House
Judiciary Committee held two meetings on HB 167. At the
first meeting, copies of the bill were not available for
members or public. There was little opportunity for the
public to review or comment on the bill. The major standing
committee for the bill, House Resources Committee, which
should have done the work on the bill has not been involved.
Consequently, the public has not had an opportunity to
review the provisions of the bill which is before the House
Finance Committee. She offered her appreciation to the
House Finance Committee for the time allotted to air
concerns with the bill.
2
Representative Brown pointed out that the bill has not
adequately addressed the budgetary aspects of the fiscal
impact. Also, the criminal penalties indicated in the
proposed legislation are not appropriately handled. Felony
penalties should be reinstated for the most serious
emissions. These can harm or damage public health.
Representative Brown distributed a letter from Alan Schuler
concerning "Emissions During the Cleaning of Petroleum
Storage Tanks". [Attachment #2].
Co-Chair MacLean echoed R. Brown's concerns. She added that
the State should apply more stringent regulations to the
recommended federal guidelines. Additionally, the
application and emission fees are not fairly regulated.
The services rendered by DEC would include costs of the time
in transit to rural areas which will create prohibitive
costs to the rural utilities.
Representative Brown provided the Committee with a handout
from the Government Hill Community Council regarding air
quality for the Port of Anchorage. [Attachment #1]. The
community remains deeply concerned about the health danger
posed by the amount of benzene in the air.
Co-Chair Larson placed the bill into subcommittee. The bill
was HELD in Committee for further discussion.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 A.M.
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 15, 1993
8:35 A.M.
TAPE HFC 93 - 106, Side 2, #000 - #424.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Ron Larson called the meeting of the House Finance
Committee to order at 8:35 A.M.
PRESENT
Co-Chair Larson Representative Brown
Co-Chair MacLean Representative Foster
Vice-Chair Hanley Representative Grussendorf
Representative Martin Representative Therriault
Representative Parnell
Representatives Hoffman and Navarre were not present for the
meeting.
3
ALSO PRESENT
Steve Panone, (teleconference), President, Government Hill
Community Council, Anchorage, Alaska; Robert Reges,
Assistant Attorney General, General Civil Section,
Department of Law.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
HB 167 An Act relating to air quality control and the
prevention, abatement, and control of air
pollution; relating to civil and criminal
penalties, damages, and other remedies for air
quality control violations; clarifying the
definition of `hazardous substance' to include
releases and threatened releases to the
atmosphere; amending the lien provisions relating
to the oil and hazardous substance release
response fund; relating to inspection and
enforcement powers of the Department of
Environmental Conservation; and providing for an
effective date.
HB 167 was held in Committee for further
discussion.
Co-Chair Larson placed HB 167 into Subcommittee with
Representative Therriault as Chair and with members
Representative Hanley, Representative Parnell and
Representative Brown.
STEVE PANONE, (teleconference), PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT HILL
COMMUNITY COUNCIL, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, provided the Committee
background information regarding previous benzene gas fumes
on Government Hill. The Department of Environmental
Conservation captured air samples of the gas to verify that
there was a problem. At this time, the vapors have been
eliminated. He added, Government Hill Community Council
supports the amendments provided by Representative Kay
Brown.
Representative Brown indicated that the Department of Law
will address their concerns with the bill in the
Subcommittee.
ROBERT REGES, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, CIVIL SERVICE
SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, explained the amendment provided
by the Department of Law address Sections #.010 and #.015.
He provided the Committee with a copy of the Department of
Law concerns addressing proposed sections and amendments
included with other minor changes sought by the Department.
[Attachment #5].
4
Representative Brown provided the Committee with a packet of
amendments addressing both the technical and substantive
issues. [Attachment #3].
She provided the Committee with a brief history of the bill
process. Representative Brown introduced HB 39 on 1/11/93.
At the request of the Department of Environmental
Conservation, she introduced a sponsor substitute on
2/03/93, incorporating the working group's proposal. On
2/19/93, Representative Hanley introduced HB 167 which
incorporated HB 39 as well as other elements from the old SB
383, which was never adopted.
HB 39 was referred to the House Labor and Commerce, House
Resources and House Finance Committees. HB 167 was not
referred to the House Resources Committee. The House
Judiciary Committee held two meetings on HB 167. At the
first meeting, copies of the bill were not available for
members or public. There was little opportunity for the
public to review or comment on the bill. The major standing
committee for the bill, House Resources Committee, which
should have done the work on the bill has not been involved.
Consequently, the public has not had an opportunity to
review the provisions of the bill which is before the House
Finance Committee. She offered her appreciation to the
House Finance Committee for the time allotted to air
concerns with the bill.
Representative Brown pointed out that the bill has not
adequately addressed the budgetary aspects of the fiscal
impact. Also, the criminal penalties indicated in the
proposed legislation are not appropriately handled. Felony
penalties should be reinstated for the most serious
emissions. These can harm or damage public health.
Representative Brown distributed a letter from Alan Schuler
concerning "Emissions During the Cleaning of Petroleum
Storage Tanks". [Attachment #2].
Co-Chair MacLean echoed R. Brown's concerns. She added that
the State should apply more stringent regulations to the
recommended federal guidelines. Additionally, the
application and emission fees are not fairly regulated.
The services rendered by DEC would include costs of the time
in transit to rural areas which will create prohibitive
costs to the rural utilities.
Representative Brown provided the Committee with a handout
from the Government Hill Community Council regarding air
quality for the Port of Anchorage. [Attachment #1]. The
community remains deeply concerned about the health danger
posed by the amount of benzene in the air.
5
Co-Chair Larson placed the bill into subcommittee. The bill
was HELD in Committee for further discussion.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 A.M.
6
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