Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
04/25/2019 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR11 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SJR 11 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 25, 2019
1:08 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Louise Stutes, Co-Chair
Representative Adam Wool, Co-Chair
Representative Matt Claman
Representative Andi Story
Representative Dave Talerico
Representative Sara Rasmussen
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Harriet Drummond
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 11(TRA)
Urging the United States to issue a Presidential permit
authorizing a railroad crossing of the Alaska-Canada border from
state land into Yukon, Canada; and supporting cooperation
between the United States and Canada to establish a public-
private partnership for construction of a railroad from Alberta,
Canada, to the state that would connect the Alaska Railroad to
the North American railroad system.
- MOVED CSSJR 11(TRA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SJR 11
SHORT TITLE: U.S.-CANADA RAILROAD PRESIDENTIAL PERMIT
SPONSOR(s): TRANSPORTATION
04/05/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/05/19 (S) TRA
04/09/19 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/09/19 (S) Moved CSSJR 11(TRA) Out of Committee
04/09/19 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
04/10/19 (S) TRA RPT CS 3DP 1NR NEW TITLE
04/10/19 (S) DP: HUGHES, SHOWER, KIEHL
04/10/19 (S) NR: WILSON
04/15/19 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/15/19 (S) VERSION: CSSJR 11(TRA)
04/16/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/16/19 (H) TRA
04/23/19 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/23/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/23/19 (H) MINUTE(TRA)
04/25/19 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR SHELLEY HUGHES
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, offered brief remarks on
CSSJR 11(TRA).
MEAD TREADWELL, Principal
Treadwell Development
Seattle, Washington
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of CSSJR 11(TRA).
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:08:18 PM
CO-CHAIR ADAM WOOL called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:08 p.m. Representatives Claman,
Talerico, Story, and Wool were present at the call to order.
Representatives Rasmussen and Stutes arrived as the meeting was
in progress.
SJR 11-U.S.-CANADA RAILROAD PRESIDENTIAL PERMIT
1:08:40 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the only order of business would be
CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 11(TRA), Urging the United
States to issue a Presidential permit authorizing a railroad
crossing of the Alaska-Canada border from state land into Yukon,
Canada; and supporting cooperation between the United States and
Canada to establish a public-private partnership for
construction of a railroad from Alberta, Canada, to the state
that would connect the Alaska Railroad to the North American
railroad system.
1:09:29 PM
SENATOR SHELLEY HUGHES, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of CSSJR 11(TRA), relayed her appreciation for the
committee's enthusiasm and appreciation for the project.
1:10:43 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL opened public testimony on CSSJR 11(TRA).
1:10:54 PM
MEAD TREADWELL, Principal, Treadwell Development, reviewed that
CSSJR 11(TRA) would request a presidential [permit], which is
required for any infrastructure that crosses the boarder from
the U.S. and its neighboring countries. He talked about a
pipeline project to cross the border between Canada and the U.S.
taking a long time to get resolved, and the President recently
signing an executive order that "brought that power back to the
White House. He said one of the questions that global investors
ask is what is going on with the presidential permit. Regarding
the permit process, he said his client, the Alberta to Alaska
Railway ("A to A"), "has decided to put this one up front," and
he said he thinks the United States Department of State ("the
State Department") will accept an application in the next few
weeks "after they publish their guidance." He mentioned an
anticipated process of about 60 days and then a recommendation
following that in about 40 days.
MR. TREADWELL reviewed the route of the proposed rail into
Alaska. He said the idea of tying a railroad in to the Lower 48
has been discussed many times in the last 100 years. He said
the plan to bring the rail line into Alaska would bring the
North American rail to the closest point in Asia via Cook Inlet
ports. It would come through Fairbanks, and it would be "a
dramatic boost to the economy." He said following a
presidential permit, this would be an extensive process
involving the Alaska Railroad Corporation and the Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) under "the 460 process," which the
legislature set up in the early 2000s. He said there would be
an extensive process for the Surface Transportation Board, which
will bring all corporate, federal, state agency, and tribal
entities together to consider the right of way in Alaska, as
well as a process with the Canadian Transportation Agency to
get right of way for almost 1,500 miles. Once that is done, he
said A to A is hopeful that the project can be financed for
approximately $17 billion and sees revenue possibilities to
cover that financing.
1:15:06 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL related to Mr. Treadwell that at the committee's
last hearing on CSSJR 11(TRA), there was a lot of interest in
the idea. He noted that committee member Representative
Talerico is sponsoring another piece of legislation to try to
get a rail built from Fairbanks to Delta. He suggested perhaps
the A to A project might come to North Pole directly. He asked
Mr. Treadwell to confirm that the A to A project would be
privately funded.
MR. TREADWELL confirmed that is correct. He said he had spoken
with Representative Talerico's staff. He said he was lieutenant
governor at the time the first part of the Northern Rail
extension had been completed, including the Tanana River bridge.
He mentioned the groundwork for the A to A project, and he said
whether the extension between North Pole and Delta Junction
happens before the A to A project begins, "we're committed with
the Alaska Railroad to roll that up into the financing of the
overall project."
CO-CHAIR WOOL inquired which issues may need to be addressed in
the construction of the railroad.
MR. TREADWELL answered that there is no concern about relations
between Canada and the U.S. He pointed out that the White Pass
Yukon Railway has operated for about 100 years, and it crosses
the border. He said specific right of way issues, including
talking with landowners, "are likely to come later."
MR. TREADWELL, in response to a question from Co-Chair Wool,
said the route ties in with the Canadian National Railroad and
the Canadian Pacific Railroad, as well as accessing oil fields
at Fort McMurray. He said there are at least two spots that tie
in the rail to the Lower 48.
1:19:49 PM
CO-CHAIR STUTES relayed her hope that this project would be
expanded to passenger travel.
CO-CHAIR WOOL responded, "I can't see why they wouldn't."
1:20:06 PM
CO-CHAIR STUTES moved to report CSSJR 11(TRA) out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note.
1:20:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN objected.
1:20:28 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:20 p.m.
1:20:36 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL closed public testimony on CSSJR 11(TRA). He
asked Co-Chair Stutes to restate the motion.
1:20:45 PM
CO-CHAIR STUTES moved to report CSSJR 11(TRA) out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, CSSJR 11(TRA) was reported out
of the House Transportation Standing Committee.
1:21:06 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:21
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SJR011 Fiscal Note S.TRA 4.16.19.pdf |
HTRA 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 11 |
| SJR011 Explanation of Changes from ver M to U.pdf |
HTRA 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 11 |
| SJR011 S.TRA CS ver U 4.16.19.pdf |
HTRA 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 11 |
| SJR011 Sponsor Statement 4.16.19.pdf |
HTRA 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 11 |