Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
05/09/2025 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR19 | |
| HB191 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 191 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SJR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
May 9, 2025
1:41 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Robyn Niayuq Burke, Co-Chair
Representative Maxine Dibert, Co-Chair
Representative Carolyn Hall
Representative Donna Mears
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Julie Coulombe
Representative Bill Elam
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19(RES)
Urging the United States Congress to honor the terms of the
Mineral Leasing Act and the Alaska Statehood Act and provide the
state with a 90 percent share of all bonuses, royalties, and
rentals received by the federal government from the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve in
Alaska.
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 191
"An Act establishing the Alaska Invasive Species Council in the
Department of Fish and Game; relating to management of invasive
species; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 191(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SJR 19
SHORT TITLE: ANWR & NAT'L PETRO RESERVE: STATE SHARE
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) BJORKMAN
04/10/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/10/25 (S) RES
04/11/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/11/25 (S) Heard & Held
04/11/25 (S) MINUTE(RES)
04/14/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/14/25 (S) Heard & Held
04/14/25 (S) MINUTE(RES)
04/23/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/23/25 (S) Moved CSSJR 19(RES) Out of Committee
04/23/25 (S) MINUTE(RES)
04/25/25 (S) RES RPT CS 7DP SAME TITLE
04/25/25 (S) DP: GIESSEL, HUGHES, DUNBAR, CLAMAN,
KAWASAKI, MYERS, WIELECHOWSKI
05/05/25 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
05/05/25 (S) VERSION: CSSJR 19(RES)
05/07/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/07/25 (H) RES
05/09/25 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 191
SHORT TITLE: INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HIMSCHOOT
04/14/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/14/25 (H) RES, FIN
05/05/25 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
05/05/25 (H) Heard & Held
05/05/25 (H) MINUTE(RES)
05/09/25 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
LAURA ACHEE, Staff
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Senator Bjorkman, prime
sponsor, introduced SJR 19.
REBECCA HIMSCHOOT
Alaska State Representative
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, introduced HB 191.
JOE FELKL, Legislative Liaison
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 191 and answered questions.
TAMMY DAVIS, Invasive Species Coordinator
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 191 and answered questions.
CODY JACOBSON, Invasive Species Coordinator
Department of Natural Resources
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 191 and answered questions.
RENA MILLER, Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Department of Natural Resources
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding HB 191.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:41:28 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE called the House Resources Standing Committee
meeting to order at 1:41 p.m. Representatives Burke, Dibert,
Hall, Mears, Rauscher, Coulombe, and Elam were present at the
call to order. Representatives Fields and Saddler arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
SJR 19-ANWR & NAT'L PETRO RESERVE: STATE SHARE
1:41:59 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE announced that the first order of business would
be SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19, Urging the United States
Congress to honor the terms of the Mineral Leasing Act and the
Alaska Statehood Act and provide the state with a 90 percent
share of all bonuses, royalties, and rentals received by the
federal government from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
1:42:27 PM
LAURA ACHEE, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State
Legislature, introduced SJR 19 on behalf of Senator Jesse
Bjorkman, prime sponsor. She presented the sponsor statement
[hard copy included in the committee packet], summarizing the
major points of the resolution. She stated that President
Trump's Executive Order calling for opening the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and building the Alaska liquified natural
gas (AKLNG) pipeline has many people excited about seeing
increased production of Alaska's petroleum resources. However,
the U.S. Congress has gone back on the promise it made when
Alaska became a state. Alaska should receive 90 percent of the
royalty revenues from production on federal land. Senator
Bjorkman introduced SJR 19, asking congress to uphold the 90/10
promise it made in the Statehood Act. If the state of Alaska
receives its promised 90 percent share, there will be more
revenue to meet the needs of Alaskans including public safety,
roads, schools, and the permanent fund dividend (PFD).
1:43:47 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE spoke regarding mitigation funding for both the
state and impacted communities. In current law, Congress has
required that 50 percent of all federal lease revenues,
including bonuses, rentals, and royalties, must go to the state
of Alaska, and that those funds must go to support the most
directly impacted communities. She stated that for communities
such as Atqasuk, Nuiqsut, Wainwright, and Utqiagvik the funds
are not optional but rather are essential. They support the
infrastructure and public services needed to live safely and
sustainably in a region heavily impacted by industrial activity.
Without that support, the communities are left to bear the
impacts of oil and gas development on their communities without
the resources to respond. In the 1980's when the state diverted
these funds elsewhere, the North Slope communities took that
matter to court and won. The ruling reaffirmed the state must
fund the impacted communities first before allocating money to
the permanent fund, school trust, or general fund. She stated
that she supported the resolution and would like to see that
additional 40 percent for all Alaskans but emphasized the
importance of honoring the places where the impacts of the oil
industry are most felt. It is not only legal compliance but is
also fair and honors the state's commitment to the people in the
North Slope region which has and continues to generate so much
wealth for the state and its people.
CO-CHAIR BURKE announced SJR 19 would be held over.
1:45:36 PM
HB 191-INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
1:46:04 PM
REBECCA HIMSCHOOT, Alaska State Representative, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 191. She described the purpose of the
council and cited invasive species management councils in
Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. She provided context by
comparing the threats posed to those states by invasive species
to what Alaska faces. She discussed research conducted by Dr.
Schwoerer regarding the environmental risks caused by the
invasive species Elodea which threatens water bodies. She
reviewed the cost of managing invasive species, pointing out
that federal funding would pay for 72 percent, non-profit
funding would pay 21 percent, leaving the state to fund 7
percent. She completed her introduction with a cautionary story
about how requiring double hulls could have prevented the Exxon
Valdez oil spill and that Alaska now faces a comparable
situation regarding invasive species. She said that HB 191
would be an important first step in facing the slow-moving
catastrophe presented by invasive species.
1:51:08 PM
CO-CHAIR DIBERT moved to adopt Amendment G1 to HB 191.
1:51:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that the sponsors welcomed
Amendment G1 and that the purpose of the amendment was to
clarify the number of board members needed to conduct business
as well. It also clarified which would be voting members and
which would be advisory.
1:52:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected. He expressed concern regarding
some members being deprived of the opportunity to provide
substantive input into recommendations.
1:52:52 PM
[Representative Saddler maintained his objection]
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Fields, Hall,
Mears, Dibert, and Burke voted in favor of Amendment G1 to HB
191. Representatives Coulombe, Saddler, Elam, and Rauscher
voted against it. Therefore, Amendment G1 to HB 191 was adopted
by the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
1:53:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE moved to adopt Amendment G2 to HB 191.
CO-CHAIR BURKE objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE explained that the purpose of the
amendment was to align the date of the fiscal note with sunset
date of the council, so both are 2030.
1:54:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that the 10-year sunset date
would give the council sufficient time to "prove up" the work of
the council. She did not welcome the amendment.
1:55:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated his support for the amendment,
explaining that five years should show whether the council is
working. He also expressed his concern that with a longer term,
the council would consume resources without check. He saw a
sunset of five years as appropriate and generous.
1:55:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT pointed out that there would be an
annual report, so the legislature would have a duty every year
to check on the work of the council. She pointed out that two
of the people who do the work are available to answer questions.
1:57:23 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE maintained her amendment.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Elam, Coulombe,
Rauscher, and Saddler voted in favor of Amendment G.1 to HB 191.
Representatives Fields, Hall, Mears, Dibert, and Burke voted
against it. Therefore, Amendment G.2 failed to be adopted by
the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 4-5.
1:58:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE moved to adopt Amendment G3 to HB 191.
CO-CHAIR BURKE objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE described her amendment as a "creative
amendment," comparing her work on a childcare task force with
the proposed invasive species council. She explained that the
childcare task force worked with compressed time constraints,
and they accomplished a lot that way. Changing a ten-year
council into a two-year task force addresses her concerns
regarding the fiscal note. The two-year task force would come
up with a five-year strategic plan and help coordinate
resources. She explained how the funding would work under with
the amendment.
2:00:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that a council would have
ongoing and changing work, versus setting up policies through a
task force. The distinction is that a task force would
accomplish a mission, whereas a council would have evolving and
ongoing work as well as having an advisory role with the Alaska
Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). She described that initially
there would be no request for funding but when funds are set up,
they would act an emergency response fund for an invasive
species threat.
2:01:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER expressed appreciation for the
amendment, explaining that a task force would be structured to
get things done and would cost less money.
2:03:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated that he liked the amendment and
that it would remove potentially duplicative functions between
the invasive species partnership and the departments. He
posited that the work of a task force would be more focused and
could suggest the best way to implement invasive species
responses.
2:04:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS explained that she appreciated the goals of
a task force but also appreciated that a council would have a
different mission. She compared it to the work of an office of
emergency management which would coordinate resources. She said
the work of a task force could be valuable, but the council
would be a better option.
2:05:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE reiterated her concern regarding the
fiscal note and the budget crunch they were facing. pointing out
the lower costs of a task force. She drew a parallel to how
mental health was coordinated in the state by means of a five-
year comprehensive plan with the mental health trust and the
department of health. She suggested such an approach to dealing
with invasive species. The task force could offer strategic
plans, but ultimately, it would be up to the departments to get
the work done.
2:07:13 PM
JOE FELKL, Legislative Liaison, Alaska Department of Fish &
Game, as legislative liaison for ADF&G described the
department's position regarding HB 191. He explained that
regardless of whether the legislature decided to use a task
force or a longer-term advisory body, the department would still
need additional staffing to support that work. However, the
department was neutral on the amendment and would implement and
support the work of a council or a task force regardless of how
it is established.
2:08:16 PM
TAMMY DAVIS, Invasive Species Coordinator, Alaska Department of
Fish & Game, explained that the question regarding whether a
council or a task force would best serve was out of her area of
expertise.
2:08:43 PM
CODY JACOBSON, Invasive Species Coordinator, Department of
Natural Resources, answered a question regarding whether a
council or a task force would work better by referring the
question to Rena Miller.
2:09:19 PM
RENA MILLER, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Department
of Natural Resources, responded to the question regarding
whether a task force or a council would be the better model for
dealing with invasive species. She said it would be a policy
call for the legislature, and the department would work with the
legislature whatever they decided.
2:09:58 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Elam, Coulombe,
Rauscher, and Saddler voted in favor of Amendment G.3 to HB 191.
Representatives Mears, Fields, Hall, Dibert, and Burke voted
against it. Therefore, Amendment G.3 failed to be adopted by
the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
2:11:31 PM
MS. DAVIS, in response to questions by Representative Saddler,
described her role as invasive species coordinator at ADF&G,
explaining that she facilitated, developed, and implemented all
aspects of invasive species management statewide. She explained
what entities on the state, tribal, and federal level they
worked with and concerns regarding rodents, marine species, and
other deleterious, exotic, and abusive wildlife. She pointed
out that invasive species are a threat to the environment,
economies, health, fish, and wildlife. She described steps that
are taken including raising awareness; investigating potential
pathways for species threat; partnering on detection and risk
assessment; and providing information to the public. She
discussed early detection monitoring networks and coordinating
with the University of Alaska. She mentioned water body mapping
and how water body vulnerabilities were ranked. She pointed out
what actions would take place prior to an invasive species
threat. She described early detection and rapid response plans
for the European green crab and other aquatic threats. She
discussed national and international organizations which address
threats from invasive species.
2:20:18 PM
MS. DAVIS responded to a question from Representative Saddler
regarding the work being done to meet the threats of invasive
species by pointing out the work done to eradicate northern
pike.
2:23:08 PM
MR. JACOBSON answered a series of questions from Representative
Saddler regarding meeting the threat of invasive species. He
described the statutory responsibilities for managing
terrestrial and freshwater plant species for pests and disease.
He discussed coordinating the work with other departments such
as ADF&G, transportation, and conservation as well as tribal
entities and federal partnerships such as Bureau of Land
Management and the park service. Efforts have been coordinated
through an invasive species hotline as well as soil and
conservation districts, communities, working groups, and task
forces. He described the work of Elodia task forces in Alaska
and their rapid response to new infestations. He gave an
example of the rapid response to Six-Mile Lake which took place
in a one-year period from infestation to full-lake treatment.
He discussed DNR's seed regulations which help the division of
agriculture's plant material center regulate the import or
spread of invasive species through seed.
2:28:03 PM
JOE FELKL responded to a question from Representative Saddler
regarding which department is best suited to deal with invasive
species by describing ADF&G's responsibilities. However, he
suggested that the question is actually a policy question for
the legislature.
2:29:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT commented that she was not sure it
mattered where it was housed. The most important point would be
that the work needs to be done and that not enough was being
done. She posited that the proposed council was a cost-
effective approach to the issue.
2:30:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS suggested that ADF&G would seem a good
match for responding to the potential threat of invasive
species.
2:30:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER reiterated his concern that the council
would create another layer of coordination rather than using
resources for the actual work.
2:31:35 PM
MS. DAVIS addressed a question posed by Co-Chair Dibert
regarding how goldfish became an invasive species. She
explained that they are a carp species which grow quite large
and are very invasive.
2:34:31 PM
CO-CHAIR DIBERT moved to report HB 191, work order 34-LS0541\G
as amended out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE objected, noting that it was too
expensive.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER agreed with the objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Hall, Mears,
Fields, Dibert, and Burke voted in favor of HB 191.
Representatives Elam, Coulombe, Raucher, and Saddler voted
against it. Therefore, HB 191 was adopted by the House
Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
2:36:10 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the *
meeting was adjourned at 2:36 p.m.