Legislature(1993 - 1994)

04/15/1994 08:35 AM House FIN

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
                                                                               
                                                                               
                     HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                   
                         April 15, 1994                                        
                            8:35 A.M.                                          
                                                                               
  TAPE HFC 94 - 126, Side 1, #000 - end.                                       
  TAPE HFC 94 - 126, Side 2, #000 - #588.                                      
                                                                               
  CALL TO ORDER                                                                
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson  called the House  Finance Committee meeting                 
  to order at 8:35 A.M.                                                        
                                                                               
  PRESENT                                                                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson               Representative Foster                          
  Co-Chair MacLean              Representative Martin                          
  Vice-Chair Hanley             Representative Navarre                         
  Representative Brown          Representative Parnell                         
  Representative Grussendorf                                                   
                                                                               
  Representatives Therriault  and Hoffman were not present for                 
  the meeting.                                                                 
                                                                               
  ALSO PRESENT                                                                 
                                                                               
  David Teal,  Director, Division of  Administrative Services,                 
  Department  of  Labor;   Chris  Gates,  Division   Director,                 
  Division of Economic Development, Department of Commerce and                 
  Economic Development;  Jeff Morrison, Director,  Division of                 
  Administrative Services, Department of Military and Veterans                 
  Affairs; Nico  Bus,  Director,  Division  of  Administration                 
  Services,  Department of  Natural  Resources; Kevin  Brooks,                 
  Director, Division of Administrative Services, Department of                 
  Fish  and   Game;  Charles  Meacham,   Deputy  Commissioner,                 
  Department  of Fish  and Game;  Dave  Kelleyhouse, Director,                 
  Division  of Wildlife Conservation,  Department of  Fish and                 
  Game.                                                                        
                                                                               
  SUMMARY                                                                      
  HB 535    An Act  making appropriations for  capital project                 
            matching grant funds and for capital projects; and                 
            providing for an effective date.                                   
                                                                               
            OVERVIEW:  Labor,  Commerce,  Military &  Veterans                 
            Affairs,                                                           
                      Natural Resources, Fish & Game                           
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR                                                          
                                                                               
  DAVID TEAL, DIRECTOR,  DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE  SERVICES,                 
                                                                               
                                1                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF  LABOR, explained the capital project requests                 
  for the Department.                                                          
                                                                               
       *    Workers compensation Information Handling System                   
                                                                               
  This project  request  for  $1,653.8  million  dollars  will                 
  automate some of  the essential  services of the  Employment                 
  Service offices in order to  accommodate public access self-                 
  registration work stations.   In addition, the  project will                 
  provide work areas  and equipment for  the use of staff  and                 
  the public.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Employment   Service   Automated   Client  Service                 
       Project                                                                 
                                                                               
  This  project  request  for  $499.8  thousand  dollars  will                 
  provide  a system which allows clients  to file their weekly                 
  claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits by using a touch-                 
  tone phone.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Employment Service Voice Response Filing/Telephone                 
            Systems Enhancement                                                
                                                                               
  This  project  request  for  $585.9  thousand  dollars  will                 
  provide  funding  to  complete   the  Workers'  Compensation                 
  information handling system.                                                 
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT                                     
                                                                               
  CHRIS  GATES,   DIVISION  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION   OF  ECONOMIC                 
  DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT COMMERCE  AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,                 
  explained the capital project requests for the Department.                   
                                                                               
       *    Economic Development Matching Grant Program                        
                                                                               
  This  project request  for  $500.0  dollars  thousand  would                 
  provide  state  funds  to  communities,  boroughs and  other                 
  eligible applicants to  match grants from federal  and other                 
  non-state sources.  The primary purpose of the EDMGP program                 
  would be to provide an eligible applicant with the necessary                 
  economic  development matching funds if that applicant would                 
  be  unable to provide such funds from other local sources.                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Alaska Small Business Assistance and Development                   
                                                                               
  This project request for $253.0  thousand dollars outlines a                 
  multifaceted  program  to  enhance Alaska's  small  business                 
  sector.  A strong  small business sector is vital  if Alaska                 
  is to have a healthy and diversified economy.  He added that                 
  small businesses  provides up  to 95%  of the  nongovernment                 
  employment in the  state, and that  it has been  shown on  a                 
                                                                               
                                2                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  nationwide basis that most of the new jobs created each year                 
  come from small business.                                                    
                                                                               
       *    Chugiak-Eagle River Arctic Winter Games                            
                                                                               
  This project requests $250.0 thousand general fund dollars.                  
                                                                               
       *    Procurement Technical Assistance                                   
                                                                               
  This  project requests  $183.0 thousand  general fund  match                 
  dollars.                                                                     
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS                                  
                                                                               
  JEFF   MORRISON,   DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF   ADMINISTRATIVE                 
  SERVICES,  DEPARTMENT  OF  MILITARY  AND  VETERANS  AFFAIRS,                 
  explained the capital project requests for that Department.                  
                                                                               
       *    Major Project Design                                               
                                                                               
  This project request  for $2  million dollars would  provide                 
  for the  planning and design of several  projects in support                 
  of the Army National  Guard including design of projects  in                 
  which the construction  would be shared funding  under a new                 
  program  offered by  the  Army Directorate,  National  Guard                 
  Bureau.    Provision  are  now  available to  allow  advance                 
  federal  funding  of  the  state's  design  costs  of  those                 
  projects.    He added  that the  state  will be  required to                 
  reimburse their share  of the  design costs at  the time  of                 
  construction.                                                                
                                                                               
       *    Army Guard Deferred Statewide Maintenance                          
                                                                               
  This request for $665.0 thousand  dollars will provide basic                 
  facility  repair  and renovation  statewide.   Projects will                 
  consist of mechanical repair/replacement, fencing, lighting,                 
  electrical,            repair/upgrade,            structural                 
  repair/replacement/additions, grounds, OSHA and other safety                 
  upgrades and related projects.                                               
                                                                               
       *    Army Guard Renewal and Replacement                                 
                                                                               
  This request for  $100.0 thousand dollars would  address the                 
  scheduled replacement of worn-out major building  components                 
  and  the retrofitting  or  replacing  of obsolescent  and/or                 
  inefficient  building  systems.    Renewal  and  replacement                 
  funding maintains, and in some instances extends, the useful                 
  life of facilities.                                                          
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES                                              
                                                                               
  NICO  BUS,  DIRECTOR, DIVISION  OF  ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                 
                                                                               
                                3                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT  OF  NATURAL  RESOURCES,  explained  the  capital                 
  project requests of that Department.                                         
                                                                               
       *    Contaminated  Site  Assessment/Cleanup-Isabel Pass                 
            Camp                                                               
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $45.0  thousand  dollars  would  address                 
  numerous sites throughout the state which have been  used by                 
  various agencies, companies, individuals, etc. for different                 
  purposes resulting in the land  and water being contaminated                 
  by   hazardous  substances.      Changing  these   hazardous                 
  substances  is a priority  not only to  protect the public's                 
  health  and  safety,  but also  to  return  the  land to  an                 
  environmentally safe and marketable condition.                               
                                                                               
       *    Multi-Mission Village Work Crew                                    
                                                                               
  This request for  $500.0 thousand dollars would be  used for                 
  fighting  fires  in a  controlled  manner to  meet  land use                 
  objectives and/or the  reduction of  high risk forest  fuels                 
  and would  require  a work  force organized  and trained  in                 
  skills  and  ability  common  to  those  necessary  for  the                 
  suppression of  wild land  fires.   Federal land  management                 
  agencies have  identified a  substantial number  of projects                 
  which require access to the  state's organized fire fighting                 
  work force.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    State Land Acquisition Classification/Assessment                   
                                                                               
  This request for $650.0 thousand dollars would address state                 
  land acquisition.   During FY 92-94, the  Legislature funded                 
  the state  land selection project as it approached the final                 
  land selections deadline of January 3, 1994.  The Department                 
  filed over 24 million acres of new selections as a result of                 
  these projects.  The  state now has nearly 40  million acres                 
  selected,  from which it  will receive its  final 17 million                 
  acres of entitlement.                                                        
                                                                               
       *    Mental Health Trust Lands Reconstitution                           
                                                                               
  This request for $450.0 thousand  dollars would continue the                 
  essential   process    of   Mental   Health    Trust   Lands                 
  reconstitution  started in  1991  under  the  authority  and                 
  requirements of Chapter  66, SLA 1991.   Substantial aspects                 
  of  the trust reconstitution process were completed in FY 93                 
  & 94, including most comparability,  valuation and the title                 
  evaluations  of  non-conveyable  original  trust  land   and                 
  proposed substitute land.   The  work effort in  FY 95  will                 
  continue the previous  effort to convey original  trust land                 
  and  replace  encumbered  trust  land  with  state  land  of                 
  comparable character and equal value.                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                4                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Fire Fighting Equipment Upgrade Replacement                        
                                                                               
  The request for  $50.0 thousand dollars will  fund equipment                 
  replacement  and  upgrades  to  maintain  and  increase fire                 
  protection  capabilities on  private land,  public land  and                 
  communities in  the state and  will enhance public  and fire                 
  fighter safety.                                                              
                                                                               
       *    State Park System Emergency Repairs                                
                                                                               
  The  $50.0  thousand dollar  request  will fund  the repairs                 
  needed in State park  areas due to the forces of  nature and                 
  man.  These activities  have been delayed and now  the state                 
  park system requires emergency repairs to prevent major loss                 
  of natural and historic resources.                                           
                                                                               
       *    State Land Status/Inventory Database                               
                                                                               
  The $250.0 thousand dollar request will complete the state's                 
  land  status database  (the public land  records), including                 
  capturing relevant  hydrography information, and  merge that                 
  database  in  a  common  computer  system with  the  state's                 
  resource inventory data.                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Geological Mineral Inventory                                       
                                                                               
  The Geophysical/Geological Mineral Inventory Project request                 
  of $225.0  thousand dollars  would be  a multi  year project                 
  which  was originally  designed to  systematically interpret                 
  the  geophysical  areas  and,  when necessary,  geologically                 
  survey about 40 million acres  of state-owned uplands within                 
  a  seven year  period.   Funding  restrictions  have led  to                 
  decreasing  the  scope  of  the  project although  the  goal                 
  remains the same to identify and delineate mineral  zones on                 
  Alaska state lands  that have major economic value  and that                 
  can offset the future loss of Prudhoe Bay oil to the state's                 
  economy.                                                                     
                                                                               
  (Tape Change, HFC 94-126, Side 2).                                           
                                                                               
       *    Forest Practices Act Effectiveness Research                        
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $300.0  thousand  dollars would  provide                 
  funding to meet the requirements  for protecting state water                 
  quality from  the effects  of timber  harvest operations  as                 
  required  under Section  #319 of  the Clean  Water Act,  and                 
  would  establish the  fish habitat protection  standards and                 
  policy and review  processes.  He  added that the  necessary                 
  monitoring of  the effectiveness  of the riparian  standards                 
  and the  best management practices  would be funded  by this                 
  project.                                                                     
                                                                               
                                5                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Forest Resource Inventory                                          
                                                                               
  This request for  $100.0 thousand dollars would  provide for                 
  responsible forest management including wood utilization and                 
  would provide a dependable economic  base in areas of Alaska                 
  that  can  benefit  from  further   development  of  such  a                 
  renewable  resource.    A  sustainable  forest  resource  is                 
  dependent  on inventory  information  by species,  location,                 
  size and growth and would  provide managers with information                 
  for harvest analysis and layout.   The information has to be                 
  gathered and  updated periodically  in order  to provide  an                 
  accurate  data  base.     This  project  will   provide  new                 
  information  and  update  old  information   on  the  forest                 
  resource inventory in the Interior Region.                                   
                                                                               
       *    National Historic Preservation Fund/Federal Grants                 
            Program                                                            
                                                                               
  This request for  $640.0 thousand dollars would  provide the                 
  state's portion of the of the 60/40 matching grant for State                 
  Historic Preservation  Programs, which  were identified  and                 
  defined in the  National Historic Preservation Act  of 1966.                 
  The NHPF provides  money for the administration  of Alaska's                 
  State  Historic  Preservation  Program  which  includes  the                 
  programs necessary  to maintain  the state's  eligibility to                 
  receive   federal   NHPF  monies   and   provides  a   basic                 
  preservation program.                                                        
                                                                               
       *    Land and  Water Conservation Fund  Federal Grants-                 
            Outdoor Recreation Facilities                                      
                                                                               
  This request for  $500.0 thousand dollars would  provide the                 
  state's portion of  the matching grants  to state and  local                 
  communities  for planning,  acquisition  and development  of                 
  outdoor  recreation  facilities.   The  operating  costs for                 
  administration of the program would be paid from a surcharge                 
  to the federal  apportionment and  the recipient's share  of                 
  the grant.                                                                   
                                                                               
       *    RS 2477 Assertions and Mapping                                     
                                                                               
  The $400.0 thousand dollars would cover the second year of a                 
  two  year  project  to  gather  historical  information  and                 
  adjudicate potential RS 2477 rights-of-way.   The first year                 
  was  aimed  at  identifying  routes  to  clarify  "criteria"                 
  differences between the state and  federal governments.  The                 
  first  year  allowed   the  State  to  position   for  legal                 
  challenges through established criteria cases.  In addition,                 
  the first 500  key routes  were researched and  adjudicated.                 
  Any additional funding in future years will be for legal and                 
  court challenges and route land surveys.                                     
                                                                               
                                6                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME                                                  
                                                                               
  CHARLES MEACHAM, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND                 
  GAME,  commented  on  the over  all  capital  project budget                 
  request for the Department of Fish and Game.                                 
                                                                               
  KEVIN BROOKS, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                 
  DEPARTMENT  OF  FISH  AND  GAME,  explained  the  individual                 
  components of the Department's capital project budget.                       
                                                                               
       *    Statewide   Facilities   Maintenance   Repair  and                 
            Replacement                                                        
                                                                               
  The Department of  Fish and Game has  numerous facilities in                 
  every geographical area of  the State.  Many are  located in                 
  rural and/or  inaccessible areas.   Many  of the  facilities                 
  have suffered  from years of  deferred maintenance  activity                 
  and are in dire need of repairs/maintenance in order to stop                 
  further deterioration.   Many of  these facilities owned  by                 
  the Department also serve public interests in the community,                 
  as a contact  point with  the projects and  programs of  the                 
  Department.     Due   to  considerable   concern   for   the                 
  deteriorating condition  of these facilities, and  a concern                 
  for the health  and welfare  of departmental employees,  the                 
  CIP  request of  $650.0  thousand dollars  is  rated as  the                 
  highest  priority for ADF&G.   The efficient  conduct of the                 
  program is now jeopardized by past inattention which was due                 
  to funding scarcity for these facilities.                                    
                                                                               
       *    Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwin   Salmon   Fisheries  Stock                 
            Assessment Equipment                                               
                                                                               
  This  CIP  request  for $300.0  thousand  dollars  will fund                 
  equipment  as  well  as  support   funding  for  the  public                 
  participation projects and Norton Sound salmon restoration.                  
                                                                               
       *    Alaska  Peninsula  Chum  and  Coho  Salmon   Stock                 
            Study/Equipment                                                    
                                                                               
  This request for $150.0 thousand  dollars will provide funds                 
  to obtain samples  from the June  fishery in 1995 and  1996,                 
  and using genetic stock  identification techniques, identify                 
  and quantify chum salmon stocks.  Current research conducted                 
  by the Department  has shown that the difference  in genetic                 
  markers between stocks of interest are great enough to allow                 
  statistically significant discrimination.                                    
                                                                               
       *    Fisheries Resource Assessment Vessels Maintenance                  
                                                                               
  This request for  $250.0 thousand  dollars will cover  costs                 
  for general maintenance work as performed  on the R/V Media,                 
                                                                               
                                7                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  R/V Sundance, R/V Montague, R/V Pandalus and R/V Resolution.                 
  These vessels support fishery monitoring efforts involved in                 
  salmon,  herring, and  shellfish  stock assessment  programs                 
  contained in the Department's FY 94- 96 policy budget.                       
                                                                               
       *    Assert/Project  State's  Right to  Manage Alaska's                 
            Resource under ANILCA                                              
                                                                               
  The request  for  $500.0 thousand  dollars  would be  for  a                 
  coordination  effort  to  assert and  protect  the  State of                 
  Alaska's fish and  wildlife management  rights on State  and                 
  private lands and  waters.  A  major portion of the  request                 
  would   be    dedicated   to    the   federal    legislative                 
  reauthorization process for the Endangered Species Act.                      
                                                                               
       *    Trail and Habitat Area Clearing/Enhancement                        
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $350.0  thousand  dollars  would improve                 
  habitat  for a variety of  wildlife species that thrive best                 
  among the young deciduous trees  and shrubs that follow site                 
  disturbances    and    would    improve   consumptive    and                 
  nonconsumptive  opportunities to  see and  use  wildlife and                 
  improve wintering conditions  for moose to reduce  threat of                 
  die-off during the severe winter.                                            
                                                                               
       *    Rural Fur Market Protection/Development                            
                                                                               
  This request for $400.0 thousand dollars would provide a two                 
  year  project  to  protect Alaska's  fur  market  to Europe,                 
  expand  existent  markets  in North  America  and  Asia, and                 
  assist  Alaskans  in  understanding   and  coping  with  the                 
  European  Economic  Community  (EEC)  fur  import  ban   and                 
  international  Standard  Organization requirements  for more                 
  humane traps.                                                                
                                                                               
       *    Public   Access   Land  Purchase   and  Facilities                 
            Construction/Renovation                                            
                                                                               
  This  request for  $1,550.0  million dollars  would  provide                 
  funds to  the Sport  Fish  BRU to  construct boating  access                 
  facilities and purchase  land along  waterways.  The  access                 
  sites  that will  result  from this  project  are needed  to                 
  improve public recreational boating and sport fishing access                 
  throughout the state.   The amount of federal funds  in this                 
  request include the mandatory  boating access set-aside plus                 
  an additional amount  for angler access projects that do not                 
  necessarily qualify as boating access.                                       
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  The meeting adjourned at 9:55 A.M.                                           
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                8                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
                     HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                   
                         April 15, 1994                                        
                            8:35 A.M.                                          
                                                                               
  TAPE HFC 94 - 126, Side 1, #000 - end.                                       
  TAPE HFC 94 - 126, Side 2, #000 - #588.                                      
                                                                               
  CALL TO ORDER                                                                
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson  called the House  Finance Committee meeting                 
  to order at 8:35 A.M.                                                        
                                                                               
  PRESENT                                                                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson               Representative Foster                          
  Co-Chair MacLean              Representative Martin                          
  Vice-Chair Hanley             Representative Navarre                         
  Representative Brown          Representative Parnell                         
  Representative Grussendorf                                                   
                                                                               
  Representatives Therriault  and Hoffman were not present for                 
  the meeting.                                                                 
                                                                               
  ALSO PRESENT                                                                 
                                                                               
  David Teal,  Director, Division of  Administrative Services,                 
  Department  of  Labor;   Chris  Gates,  Division   Director,                 
  Division of Economic Development, Department of Commerce and                 
  Economic Development;  Jeff Morrison, Director,  Division of                 
  Administrative Services, Department of Military and Veterans                 
  Affairs; Nico  Bus,  Director,  Division  of  Administration                 
  Services,  Department of  Natural  Resources; Kevin  Brooks,                 
  Director, Division of Administrative Services, Department of                 
  Fish  and   Game;  Charles  Meacham,   Deputy  Commissioner,                 
  Department  of Fish  and Game;  Dave  Kelleyhouse, Director,                 
  Division  of Wildlife Conservation,  Department of  Fish and                 
  Game.                                                                        
                                                                               
  SUMMARY                                                                      
                                                                               
  HB 535    An Act  making appropriations for  capital project                 
            matching grant funds and for capital projects; and                 
            providing for an effective date.                                   
                                                                               
            OVERVIEW:  Labor,  Commerce,  Military &  Veterans                 
            Affairs,                                                           
                      Natural Resources, Fish & Game                           
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR                                                          
                                                                               
  DAVID TEAL, DIRECTOR,  DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE  SERVICES,                 
                                                                               
                                9                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF  LABOR, explained the capital project requests                 
  for the Department.                                                          
                                                                               
       *    Workers compensation Information Handling System                   
                                                                               
  This project  request  for  $1,653.8  million  dollars  will                 
  automate some of  the essential  services of the  Employment                 
  Service offices in order to  accommodate public access self-                 
  registration work stations.   In addition, the  project will                 
  provide work areas  and equipment for  the use of staff  and                 
  the public.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Employment   Service   Automated   Client  Service                 
       Project                                                                 
                                                                               
  This  project  request  for  $499.8  thousand  dollars  will                 
  provide  a system which allows clients  to file their weekly                 
  claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits by using a touch-                 
  tone phone.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Employment Service Voice Response Filing/Telephone                 
            Systems Enhancement                                                
                                                                               
  This  project  request  for  $585.9  thousand  dollars  will                 
  provide  funding  to  complete   the  Workers'  Compensation                 
  information handling system.                                                 
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT                                     
                                                                               
  CHRIS  GATES,   DIVISION  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION   OF  ECONOMIC                 
  DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT COMMERCE  AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,                 
  explained the capital project requests for the Department.                   
                                                                               
       *    Economic Development Matching Grant Program                        
                                                                               
  This  project request  for  $500.0  dollars  thousand  would                 
  provide  state  funds  to  communities,  boroughs and  other                 
  eligible applicants to  match grants from federal  and other                 
  non-state sources.  The primary purpose of the EDMGP program                 
  would be to provide an eligible applicant with the necessary                 
  economic  development matching funds if that applicant would                 
  be  unable to provide such funds from other local sources.                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Alaska Small Business Assistance and Development                   
                                                                               
  This project request for $253.0  thousand dollars outlines a                 
  multifaceted  program  to  enhance Alaska's  small  business                 
  sector.  A strong  small business sector is vital  if Alaska                 
  is to have a healthy and diversified economy.  He added that                 
  small businesses  provides up  to 95%  of the  nongovernment                 
  employment in the  state, and that  it has been  shown on  a                 
                                                                               
                               10                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  nationwide basis that most of the new jobs created each year                 
  come from small business.                                                    
                                                                               
       *    Chugiak-Eagle River Arctic Winter Games                            
                                                                               
  This project requests $250.0 thousand general fund dollars.                  
                                                                               
       *    Procurement Technical Assistance                                   
                                                                               
  This  project requests  $183.0 thousand  general fund  match                 
  dollars.                                                                     
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS                                  
                                                                               
  JEFF   MORRISON,   DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF   ADMINISTRATIVE                 
  SERVICES,  DEPARTMENT  OF  MILITARY  AND  VETERANS  AFFAIRS,                 
  explained the capital project requests for that Department.                  
                                                                               
       *    Major Project Design                                               
                                                                               
  This project request  for $2  million dollars would  provide                 
  for the  planning and design of several  projects in support                 
  of the Army National  Guard including design of projects  in                 
  which the construction  would be shared funding  under a new                 
  program  offered by  the  Army Directorate,  National  Guard                 
  Bureau.    Provision  are  now  available to  allow  advance                 
  federal  funding  of  the  state's  design  costs  of  those                 
  projects.    He added  that the  state  will be  required to                 
  reimburse their share  of the  design costs at  the time  of                 
  construction.                                                                
                                                                               
       *    Army Guard Deferred Statewide Maintenance                          
                                                                               
  This request for $665.0 thousand  dollars will provide basic                 
  facility  repair  and renovation  statewide.   Projects will                 
  consist of mechanical repair/replacement, fencing, lighting,                 
  electrical,            repair/upgrade,            structural                 
  repair/replacement/additions, grounds, OSHA and other safety                 
  upgrades and related projects.                                               
                                                                               
       *    Army Guard Renewal and Replacement                                 
                                                                               
  This request for  $100.0 thousand dollars would  address the                 
  scheduled replacement of worn-out major building  components                 
  and  the retrofitting  or  replacing  of obsolescent  and/or                 
  inefficient  building  systems.    Renewal  and  replacement                 
  funding maintains, and in some instances extends, the useful                 
  life of facilities.                                                          
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES                                              
                                                                               
  NICO  BUS,  DIRECTOR, DIVISION  OF  ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                 
                                                                               
                               11                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT  OF  NATURAL  RESOURCES,  explained  the  capital                 
  project requests of that Department.                                         
                                                                               
       *    Contaminated  Site  Assessment/Cleanup-Isabel Pass                 
            Camp                                                               
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $45.0  thousand  dollars  would  address                 
  numerous sites throughout the state which have been  used by                 
  various agencies, companies, individuals, etc. for different                 
  purposes resulting in the land  and water being contaminated                 
  by   hazardous  substances.      Changing  these   hazardous                 
  substances  is a priority  not only to  protect the public's                 
  health  and  safety,  but also  to  return  the  land to  an                 
  environmentally safe and marketable condition.                               
                                                                               
       *    Multi-Mission Village Work Crew                                    
                                                                               
  This request for  $500.0 thousand dollars would be  used for                 
  fighting  fires  in a  controlled  manner to  meet  land use                 
  objectives and/or the  reduction of  high risk forest  fuels                 
  and would  require  a work  force organized  and trained  in                 
  skills  and  ability  common  to  those  necessary  for  the                 
  suppression of  wild land  fires.   Federal land  management                 
  agencies have  identified a  substantial number  of projects                 
  which require access to the  state's organized fire fighting                 
  work force.                                                                  
                                                                               
       *    State Land Acquisition Classification/Assessment                   
                                                                               
  This request for $650.0 thousand dollars would address state                 
  land acquisition.   During FY 92-94, the  Legislature funded                 
  the state  land selection project as it approached the final                 
  land selections deadline of January 3, 1994.  The Department                 
  filed over 24 million acres of new selections as a result of                 
  these projects.  The  state now has nearly 40  million acres                 
  selected,  from which it  will receive its  final 17 million                 
  acres of entitlement.                                                        
                                                                               
       *    Mental Health Trust Lands Reconstitution                           
                                                                               
  This request for $450.0 thousand  dollars would continue the                 
  essential   process    of   Mental   Health    Trust   Lands                 
  reconstitution  started in  1991  under  the  authority  and                 
  requirements of Chapter  66, SLA 1991.   Substantial aspects                 
  of  the trust reconstitution process were completed in FY 93                 
  & 94, including most comparability,  valuation and the title                 
  evaluations  of  non-conveyable  original  trust  land   and                 
  proposed substitute land.   The  work effort in  FY 95  will                 
  continue the previous  effort to convey original  trust land                 
  and  replace  encumbered  trust  land  with  state  land  of                 
  comparable character and equal value.                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
                               12                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Fire Fighting Equipment Upgrade Replacement                        
                                                                               
  The request for  $50.0 thousand dollars will  fund equipment                 
  replacement  and  upgrades  to  maintain  and  increase fire                 
  protection  capabilities on  private land,  public land  and                 
  communities in  the state and  will enhance public  and fire                 
  fighter safety.                                                              
                                                                               
       *    State Park System Emergency Repairs                                
                                                                               
  The  $50.0  thousand dollar  request  will fund  the repairs                 
  needed in State park  areas due to the forces of  nature and                 
  man.  These activities  have been delayed and now  the state                 
  park system requires emergency repairs to prevent major loss                 
  of natural and historic resources.                                           
                                                                               
       *    State Land Status/Inventory Database                               
                                                                               
  The $250.0 thousand dollar request will complete the state's                 
  land  status database  (the public land  records), including                 
  capturing relevant  hydrography information, and  merge that                 
  database  in  a  common  computer  system with  the  state's                 
  resource inventory data.                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Geological Mineral Inventory                                       
                                                                               
  The Geophysical/Geological Mineral Inventory Project request                 
  of $225.0  thousand dollars  would be  a multi  year project                 
  which  was originally  designed to  systematically interpret                 
  the  geophysical  areas  and,  when necessary,  geologically                 
  survey about 40 million acres  of state-owned uplands within                 
  a  seven year  period.   Funding  restrictions  have led  to                 
  decreasing  the  scope  of  the  project although  the  goal                 
  remains the same to identify and delineate mineral  zones on                 
  Alaska state lands  that have major economic value  and that                 
  can offset the future loss of Prudhoe Bay oil to the state's                 
  economy.                                                                     
                                                                               
  (Tape Change, HFC 94-126, Side 2).                                           
                                                                               
       *    Forest Practices Act Effectiveness Research                        
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $300.0  thousand  dollars would  provide                 
  funding to meet the requirements  for protecting state water                 
  quality from  the effects  of timber  harvest operations  as                 
  required  under Section  #319 of  the Clean  Water Act,  and                 
  would  establish the  fish habitat protection  standards and                 
  policy and review  processes.  He  added that the  necessary                 
  monitoring of  the effectiveness  of the riparian  standards                 
  and the  best management practices  would be funded  by this                 
  project.                                                                     
                                                                               
                               13                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Forest Resource Inventory                                          
                                                                               
  This request for  $100.0 thousand dollars would  provide for                 
  responsible forest management including wood utilization and                 
  would provide a dependable economic  base in areas of Alaska                 
  that  can  benefit  from  further   development  of  such  a                 
  renewable  resource.    A  sustainable  forest  resource  is                 
  dependent  on inventory  information  by species,  location,                 
  size and growth and would  provide managers with information                 
  for harvest analysis and layout.   The information has to be                 
  gathered and  updated periodically  in order  to provide  an                 
  accurate  data  base.     This  project  will   provide  new                 
  information  and  update  old  information   on  the  forest                 
  resource inventory in the Interior Region.                                   
                                                                               
       *    National Historic Preservation Fund/Federal Grants                 
            Program                                                            
                                                                               
  This request for  $640.0 thousand dollars would  provide the                 
  state's portion of the of the 60/40 matching grant for State                 
  Historic Preservation  Programs, which  were identified  and                 
  defined in the  National Historic Preservation Act  of 1966.                 
  The NHPF provides  money for the administration  of Alaska's                 
  State  Historic  Preservation  Program  which  includes  the                 
  programs necessary  to maintain  the state's  eligibility to                 
  receive   federal   NHPF  monies   and   provides  a   basic                 
  preservation program.                                                        
                                                                               
       *    Land and  Water Conservation Fund  Federal Grants-                 
            Outdoor Recreation Facilities                                      
                                                                               
  This request for  $500.0 thousand dollars would  provide the                 
  state's portion of  the matching grants  to state and  local                 
  communities  for planning,  acquisition  and development  of                 
  outdoor  recreation  facilities.   The  operating  costs for                 
  administration of the program would be paid from a surcharge                 
  to the federal  apportionment and  the recipient's share  of                 
  the grant.                                                                   
                                                                               
       *    RS 2477 Assertions and Mapping                                     
                                                                               
  The $400.0 thousand dollars would cover the second year of a                 
  two  year  project  to  gather  historical  information  and                 
  adjudicate potential RS 2477 rights-of-way.   The first year                 
  was  aimed  at  identifying  routes  to  clarify  "criteria"                 
  differences between the state and  federal governments.  The                 
  first  year  allowed   the  State  to  position   for  legal                 
  challenges through established criteria cases.  In addition,                 
  the first 500  key routes  were researched and  adjudicated.                 
  Any additional funding in future years will be for legal and                 
  court challenges and route land surveys.                                     
                                                                               
                               14                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME                                                  
                                                                               
  CHARLES MEACHAM, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND                 
  GAME,  commented  on  the over  all  capital  project budget                 
  request for the Department of Fish and Game.                                 
                                                                               
  KEVIN BROOKS, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                 
  DEPARTMENT  OF  FISH  AND  GAME,  explained  the  individual                 
  components of the Department's capital project budget.                       
                                                                               
       *    Statewide   Facilities   Maintenance   Repair  and                 
            Replacement                                                        
                                                                               
  The Department of  Fish and Game has  numerous facilities in                 
  every geographical area of  the State.  Many are  located in                 
  rural and/or  inaccessible areas.   Many  of the  facilities                 
  have suffered  from years of  deferred maintenance  activity                 
  and are in dire need of repairs/maintenance in order to stop                 
  further deterioration.   Many of  these facilities owned  by                 
  the Department also serve public interests in the community,                 
  as a contact  point with  the projects and  programs of  the                 
  Department.     Due   to  considerable   concern   for   the                 
  deteriorating condition  of these facilities, and  a concern                 
  for the health  and welfare  of departmental employees,  the                 
  CIP  request of  $650.0  thousand dollars  is  rated as  the                 
  highest  priority for ADF&G.   The efficient  conduct of the                 
  program is now jeopardized by past inattention which was due                 
  to funding scarcity for these facilities.                                    
                                                                               
       *    Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwin   Salmon   Fisheries  Stock                 
            Assessment Equipment                                               
                                                                               
  This  CIP  request  for $300.0  thousand  dollars  will fund                 
  equipment  as  well  as  support   funding  for  the  public                 
  participation projects and Norton Sound salmon restoration.                  
                                                                               
       *    Alaska  Peninsula  Chum  and  Coho  Salmon   Stock                 
            Study/Equipment                                                    
                                                                               
  This request for $150.0 thousand  dollars will provide funds                 
  to obtain samples  from the June  fishery in 1995 and  1996,                 
  and using genetic stock  identification techniques, identify                 
  and quantify chum salmon stocks.  Current research conducted                 
  by the Department  has shown that the difference  in genetic                 
  markers between stocks of interest are great enough to allow                 
  statistically significant discrimination.                                    
                                                                               
       *    Fisheries Resource Assessment Vessels Maintenance                  
                                                                               
  This request for  $250.0 thousand  dollars will cover  costs                 
  for general maintenance work as performed  on the R/V Media,                 
                                                                               
                               15                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  R/V Sundance, R/V Montague, R/V Pandalus and R/V Resolution.                 
  These vessels support fishery monitoring efforts involved in                 
  salmon,  herring, and  shellfish  stock assessment  programs                 
  contained in the Department's FY 94- 96 policy budget.                       
                                                                               
       *    Assert/Project  State's  Right to  Manage Alaska's                 
            Resource under ANILCA                                              
                                                                               
  The request  for  $500.0 thousand  dollars  would be  for  a                 
  coordination  effort  to  assert and  protect  the  State of                 
  Alaska's fish and  wildlife management  rights on State  and                 
  private lands and  waters.  A  major portion of the  request                 
  would   be    dedicated   to    the   federal    legislative                 
  reauthorization process for the Endangered Species Act.                      
                                                                               
       *    Trail and Habitat Area Clearing/Enhancement                        
                                                                               
  This  request  for  $350.0  thousand  dollars  would improve                 
  habitat  for a variety of  wildlife species that thrive best                 
  among the young deciduous trees  and shrubs that follow site                 
  disturbances    and    would    improve   consumptive    and                 
  nonconsumptive  opportunities to  see and  use  wildlife and                 
  improve wintering conditions  for moose to reduce  threat of                 
  die-off during the severe winter.                                            
                                                                               
       *    Rural Fur Market Protection/Development                            
                                                                               
  This request for $400.0 thousand dollars would provide a two                 
  year  project  to  protect Alaska's  fur  market  to Europe,                 
  expand  existent  markets  in North  America  and  Asia, and                 
  assist  Alaskans  in  understanding   and  coping  with  the                 
  European  Economic  Community  (EEC)  fur  import  ban   and                 
  international  Standard  Organization requirements  for more                 
  humane traps.                                                                
                                                                               
       *    Public   Access   Land  Purchase   and  Facilities                 
            Construction/Renovation                                            
                                                                               
  This  request for  $1,550.0  million dollars  would  provide                 
  funds to  the Sport  Fish  BRU to  construct boating  access                 
  facilities and purchase  land along  waterways.  The  access                 
  sites  that will  result  from this  project  are needed  to                 
  improve public recreational boating and sport fishing access                 
  throughout the state.   The amount of federal funds  in this                 
  request include the mandatory  boating access set-aside plus                 
  an additional amount  for angler access projects that do not                 
  necessarily qualify as boating access.                                       
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  The meeting adjourned at 9:55 A.M.                                           
                                                                               
                                                                               
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