Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205

03/10/2015 10:45 AM Senate SPECIAL CMTE ON THE ARCTIC

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10:49:22 AM Start
10:50:33 AM Presentation: Waterways Safety Committee: Streamlined Path for Safe Vessel Operations in the Arctic.
11:45:57 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Presentation: "Arctic Waterways Safety Committee: TELECONFERENCED
Streamlined Path for Safe Vessel Operations in
the Arctic"
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
             SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE ARCTIC                                                                           
                         March 10, 2015                                                                                         
                           10:49 a.m.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lesil McGuire, Co-Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Donald Olson                                                                                                            
Senator Click Bishop                                                                                                            
Senator John Coghill                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Cathy Giessel, Co-Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                           
Senator Gary Stevens                                                                                                            
Senator Berta Gardner                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PRESENTATION: WATERWAYS SAFETY COMMITTEE: STREAMLINED PATH FOR                                                                  
SAFE VESSEL OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
PAUL FUHS, Chair                                                                                                                
Alaska Marine Exchange Board of Directors and                                                                                   
Lobbyist                                                                                                                        
North Slope Borough                                                                                                             
Juneau, Alaska,                                                                                                                 
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on the Arctic                                                                       
Waterways Safety Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
WILLIE GOODWIN, Member                                                                                                          
Arctic Waterways Safety Committee (AWSC) and                                                                                    
Former-Chair                                                                                                                    
Alaska Beluga Whale Committee                                                                                                   
Kotzebue, Alaska                                                                                                                
POSITION   STATEMENT:  Presented   information   on  the   Alaska                                                             
Waterways Safety Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DENISE MICHELS, Mayor of Nome and                                                                                               
Member                                                                                                                          
Arctic Waterways Safety Committee                                                                                               
Nome, Alaska                                                                                                                    
POSITION   STATEMENT:  Presented   information   on  the   Arctic                                                             
Waterways Safety Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GEORGE NOONGWOOK, Member                                                                                                        
Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission and                                                                                            
Member                                                                                                                          
Alaska Waterways Safety Committee                                                                                               
Savoonga, Alaska                                                                                                                
POSITION   STATEMENT:  Presented   information   on  the   Arctic                                                             
Waterways Safety Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ARNOLD BROWER, JR., Executive Director                                                                                          
Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission and                                                                                            
Member                                                                                                                          
Alaska Waterways Safety Committee                                                                                               
Barrow, Alaska,                                                                                                                 
POSITION   STATEMENT:  Presented   information   on  the   Arctic                                                             
Waterways Safety Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:49:22 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR  LESIL MCGUIRE  called the  Senate Special  Committee on                                                             
the Arctic meeting to order at  10:49 a.m. Present at the call to                                                               
order  were   Senators  Olson,  Bishop,  Coghill,   and  Co-Chair                                                               
McGuire.   She  reviewed   the  purpose   of  the   Artic  Policy                                                               
Commission.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
^Presentation: Waterways  Safety Committee: Streamlined  Path for                                                               
Safe Vessel Operations in the Arctic.                                                                                           
 Presentation: Waterways Safety Committee: Streamlined Path for                                                             
             Safe Vessel Operations in the Arctic.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:50:33 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE   announced  a   presentation  by   the  Arctic                                                               
Waterways Safety Committee (AWSC).  She described the presenters'                                                               
previous efforts on Artic issues.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:51:27 AM                                                                                                                   
PAUL  FUHS, Chair,  Alaska Marine  Exchange  Board of  Directors,                                                               
Lobbyist,  North  Slope  Borough, presented  information  on  the                                                               
Arctic Waterways Safety Committee. He introduced himself.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
WILLIE GOODWIN, Member, Arctic  Waterways Safety Committee (AWSC)                                                               
and  former-Chair,  Alaska   Beluga  Whale  Committee,  presented                                                               
information  on   the  Alaska  Waterways  Safety   Committee.  He                                                               
introduced himself.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FUHS  introduced  the  members  of  AWSC  who  were  in  the                                                               
audience.  Among   them  were   Charlie  Brower,   Eskimo  Walrus                                                               
Commission,  Barrow;  Vera  Metcalf,  Eskimo  Walrus  Commission,                                                               
Koyuk;  George  Noongwook,   Alaska  Eskimo  Whaling  Commission,                                                               
Savoonga;  John Goodwin,  Alaska  Ice  Seal Committee,  Kotzebue,                                                               
Jack  O'Neill,  Executive  Director,  Alaska  Nanuuq  Commission,                                                               
Wendi  Schaeffer,  Public  Services  Director,  Northwest  Arctic                                                               
Borough; Arnold  Brower, Jr.,  Alaska Eskimo  Whaling Commission,                                                               
Barrow; Jenny Evans, staff support, AWSC Barrow, Alaska.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE welcomed the members of AWSC.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:54:25 AM                                                                                                                   
MR.  FUHS  noted  AWSC  works together  with  the  Department  of                                                               
Environmental Conservation  and the Coast Guard.  He said various                                                               
water  safety  committees exist  throughout  the  U.S. for  local                                                               
people to set rules for safe  operations in their areas. They are                                                               
officially recognized by the Coast  Guard and are a collaborative                                                               
effort  between  municipalities,  industry,  maritime  operators,                                                               
government regulatory bodies,  and non-governmental organizations                                                               
to  promote safe  maritime operations.  He  said Arctic  policies                                                               
refer  to safe  vessel  operations and  AWSC is  a  means to  get                                                               
there.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:56:02 AM                                                                                                                   
MR.  GOODWIN described  his  role helping  to  create the  Arctic                                                               
Water Safety Committee. He shared AWSC's vision as follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     As we  all know, the changes  we are seeing in  the sea                                                                    
     ice of the  Western Arctic Ocean is  opening the waters                                                                    
     of the Bering, Chukchi, and  Beaufort Seas to new uses.                                                                    
     Those  of us  who  live  in the  coastal  areas of  the                                                                    
     Arctic see the changes in  our ice and weather patterns                                                                    
     on  a daily  basis. And,  we  see the  signs of  coming                                                                    
     commercial uses  in the form  of increasing  numbers of                                                                    
     large,  foreign-flagged  vessels   moving  through  our                                                                    
     waters and passing through the Bering Strait.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     In 2012 at the suggestion  of the U.S. Coast Guard, the                                                                    
     five  tribally and  federally recognized  marine mammal                                                                    
     co-management  groups -  the Eskimo  Walrus Commission,                                                                    
     the  Ice Seal  Committee,  the  Nanuuq Commission,  the                                                                    
     Alaska  Eskimo  Whaling   Commission,  and  the  Alaska                                                                    
     Beluga Whale Committee  - came together to  see what we                                                                    
     could learn about  this new activity that  we have been                                                                    
     observing. We were  joined in this effort  by the North                                                                    
     Slope Borough,  the Northwest Arctic  Borough, Kawerak,                                                                    
     and the Inuit Circumpolar  Council. What we learned, as                                                                    
     I  am sure  you  know,  is that  our  waters are  being                                                                    
     looked at  as a new  shipping route between  Europe and                                                                    
     Asia.  The Arctic  is also  becoming  a marine  tourist                                                                    
     destination.  We  also  learned that  there  are  other                                                                    
     foreign  interests coming  into our  waters to  conduct                                                                    
     scientific  research  and  to   explore  to  find  what                                                                    
     resources are there.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Like any new activity,  this increase in vessel traffic                                                                    
     might  bring essential  economic  opportunities to  our                                                                    
     state and  to our  communities. But  the size  of these                                                                    
     ocean-going vessels,  the speed  at which  they travel,                                                                    
     and the  projected increase in  their numbers  can also                                                                    
     be destructive to the activities  that already exist in                                                                    
     our waters.  Because of this,  we need to find  ways to                                                                    
     manage  these new  uses, so  that economic  development                                                                    
     can happen in  safe and healthy concert  with the other                                                                    
     existing uses of the waterways.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Among    our   five    marine   mammal    co-management                                                                    
     organizations, we  represent all of the  coastal marine                                                                    
     mammal subsistence  hunters of Arctic Alaska,  from the                                                                    
     Bering Straits  Region, north  to the  Canadian border.                                                                    
     Along with  our hunter organizations, our  two boroughs                                                                    
     and the  communities take each year,  and share through                                                                    
     our subsistence sharing networks,  form a critical part                                                                    
     of the food and economic security of the north.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     With  the changes  occurring  in our  sea  ice, we  are                                                                    
     seeing  more  fall,   open-water  hunting.  Having  our                                                                    
     hunters,  in their  small boats,  on the  water at  the                                                                    
     same  time as  the  peak season  for large  ocean-going                                                                    
     vessels creates a great risk  to both human life and to                                                                    
     disturbance of  the subsistence food  gathering, unless                                                                    
     we have a well-designed system for traffic management.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     At the  same time, the  offshore oil and  gas operators                                                                    
     working in  Alaska have very significant  assets on the                                                                    
     water  and  are planning  to  add  more assets  in  the                                                                    
     Chukchi Sea. It is in  their interest and the interests                                                                    
     of our state that  commercial and other foreign traffic                                                                    
     moving through the  lease sale areas be  routed so that                                                                    
     they do  not interfere  with development  activities or                                                                    
     endanger assets or human life.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     In  2012,  our   marine  mammal  co-management  groups,                                                                    
     working   together   as   the  Arctic   Marine   Mammal                                                                    
     Coalition, began  meeting with  the Coast  Guard, NOAA,                                                                    
     and the  Alaska Marine  Exchange to explore  what steps                                                                    
     can be  taken to begin developing  a traffic management                                                                    
     regime for  the Arctic.  Initial successes  include the                                                                    
     inclusion  of  notifications  on the  Coast  Pilot  and                                                                    
     Maritime  Charts about  marine mammal  aggregations and                                                                    
     presence  of  subsistence   hunters.  Such  information                                                                    
     exchange  is  a  critical  component  of  ensuring  the                                                                    
     health and safety of our hunters and resources.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     We have provided  input to the Coast Guard  on its Port                                                                    
     Access  Route Study,  which will  be  submitted to  the                                                                    
     International Maritime Organization.  We also have been                                                                    
     working  with   the  Coast  Guard   and  NOAA   to  get                                                                    
     bathymetric  surveys  started  in  the  Bering  Straits                                                                    
     Region east  of St. Lawrence Island.  Sea floor mapping                                                                    
     in  this area  will  make it  available  to deep  draft                                                                    
     vessels. For vessels on  a south-southeast course, this                                                                    
     new route  will be shorter  than the route to  the west                                                                    
     of  St.  Lawrence.  This also  should  help  to  reduce                                                                    
     traffic in our marine mammal  hunting areas to the west                                                                    
     of  the island.  It is  a win-win  initiative for  both                                                                    
     industry,  who can  enjoy shorter  transit routes,  and                                                                    
     subsistence  hunters, who  will experience  less vessel                                                                    
     traffic in their hunting areas.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Working as  a coalition, we also  have been interacting                                                                    
     regularly with the Alaska Marine  Exchange to learn how                                                                    
     it might  help to facilitate  the expansion of  the AIS                                                                    
     network along the Arctic Coast.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Finally, in  2014, at  request of  the Coast  Guard, we                                                                    
     met   with   other   marine   stakeholders,   including                                                                    
     representative  of  oil  and  gas,  the  Alaska  Marine                                                                    
     Pilots,  the  City  of  Nome,  our  two  boroughs,  and                                                                    
     Kawerak. We also invited  the state, representatives of                                                                    
     the  tug and  barge  operators working  in Alaska,  and                                                                    
     representative of the tourism industry to join us.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Our  purpose  in coming  together  was  to plan  for  a                                                                    
     Harbor  Safety Committee.  We  chose  the name  "Arctic                                                                    
     Waterways Safety Committee" since  there are no harbors                                                                    
     in  the  Arctic,  but  our   goals  are  the  same:  to                                                                    
     establish  best  lawful  practices to  ensure  a  safe,                                                                    
     predictable,  and efficient  operating environment  for                                                                    
     all users of the Arctic waterways.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     We incorporated  the Arctic Waterways  Safety Committee                                                                    
     on October  30, 2014,  under the laws  of the  State of                                                                    
     Alaska, and have submitted an  application for 501 c(3)                                                                    
     status.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     This  afternoon we  will hold  the committee's  initial                                                                    
     meeting,  where   we  will   adopt  bylaws   and  elect                                                                    
     officers. I  have attached to my  testimony a schematic                                                                    
     showing the  makeup of the  committee: the  five marine                                                                    
     mammal  co-management  organizations  representing  the                                                                    
     hunters  on the  water in  small vessels,  the offshore                                                                    
     oil   and   gas   industry  representing   those   with                                                                    
     exploration and development  operations and the vessels                                                                    
     supporting them,  the Alaska Marine  Pilots Association                                                                    
     representing  those who  are  responsible for  piloting                                                                    
     vessels  through U.S.  Arctic waters,  tug, barge,  and                                                                    
     cargo operators  responsible for  destinational traffic                                                                    
     in the  north, mining interests  - as the Red  Dog Mine                                                                    
     is  an  important  waterway  user,  commercial  fishing                                                                    
     interests,  the  City  of Nome,  the  Northwest  Arctic                                                                    
     Borough,  the  North  Slope  Borough,  regional  tribal                                                                    
     organizations, and the marine tourism industry.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
11:03:46 AM                                                                                                                   
     We   are  inviting   ex-officio   observers  from   the                                                                    
     University of  Alaska, the Alaska Marine  Exchange, the                                                                    
     Inuit   Circumpolar   Council,  Marine   Salvage,   the                                                                    
     scientific  research  community,  and  the  U.S.  Coast                                                                    
     Guard. We would be honored  if the state of Alaska were                                                                    
     to  join  us as  an  ex-officio  member of  the  Arctic                                                                    
     Waterways Safety Committee. Not  all of the committee's                                                                    
     seats are filled at this  time, but we are working very                                                                    
     hard   on  our   outreach   to  make   sure  that   all                                                                    
     stakeholders  with  an   existing  interest  in  Arctic                                                                    
     marine waters are represents.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     As  Alaskans and  residents of  the Arctic,  we have  a                                                                    
     long  custom  of sharing  and  of  making decisions  by                                                                    
     consensus. This  is how Alaskans have  always survived.                                                                    
     When the world around  us changes, we incorporate those                                                                    
     changes  into our  lives and  find ways  to learn  from                                                                    
     them and  to gain  benefit so that  our lives  are made                                                                    
     better.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     When offshore oil  and gas first came to  our waters in                                                                    
     the  late 1970's  and early  1980's, we  found ways  to                                                                    
     work with  the oil  and gas  operators. We  taught them                                                                    
     how we use  the waters and what we need  to have a safe                                                                    
     and successful  hunt for the animals.  They learned how                                                                    
     to work with  us and we learned how to  work with them.                                                                    
     One  example  of  our very  successful  efforts,  where                                                                    
     offshore  oil  and  gas and  subsistence  hunters  have                                                                    
     learned how  to work together  to share the  waters, is                                                                    
     the  Alaska  Eskimo  Whaling  Commission's  Open  Water                                                                    
     Season  Conflict  Avoidance  Agreement. We  have  other                                                                    
     examples like this.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Our  goal  in  forming   the  Arctic  Waterways  Safety                                                                    
     Committee  is  to  take this  history  of  sharing,  of                                                                    
     collaborating,  and of  working  by  consensus, and  to                                                                    
     apply it to  this new activity that is  coming into our                                                                    
     waters. By  bringing all  of the  existing stakeholders                                                                    
     together,  we can  define what  the existing  interests                                                                    
     are and  identify consensus  on how  we can  best share                                                                    
     our waters with new users.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Starting with  these existing uses, and  users, we will                                                                    
     develop  a  system  of  best  practices  for  the  safe                                                                    
     management of  vessel traffic in  our waterways.  As we                                                                    
     are  able to  identify commercial  and other  interests                                                                    
     that   are  new   to  our   waters,   we  will   invite                                                                    
     representatives to  sit down with the  committee and to                                                                    
     work with  us to  benefit from the  existing experience                                                                    
     of  Arctic Waterways  users  and  implement these  best                                                                    
     practices in a manner that benefits everyone.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     This is an exciting undertaking.  And while we have our                                                                    
     work  cut out  for us,  it is  work that  will serve  a                                                                    
     great public purpose, by  ensuring that Alaska's waters                                                                    
     remain  safe for  all  users. This  will  enable us  to                                                                    
     maintain   the   food    security   of   our   northern                                                                    
     communities.   And    it   will   help    to   preserve                                                                    
     opportunities  for continuing  the safe  development of                                                                    
     our great state's  resources for the benefit  of all of                                                                    
     our citizens.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:06:28 AM                                                                                                                   
DENISE MICHELS, Mayor of Nome, and Member, Arctic Waterways                                                                     
Safety Committee, presented information on the Arctic Waterways                                                                 
Safety Committee. She read from a prepared statement as follows:                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     I was  born and  raised in Nome,  a long  descendent of                                                                    
     Inupiaq people who  have relied on the sea  and land to                                                                    
     sustain us in one of  the harshest climes in the world.                                                                    
     I'm a tribal  member of Nome Eskimo.  I currently serve                                                                    
     as the Mayor  for the City of Nome and  the Director of                                                                    
     Transportation  for Kawerak,  Inc.,  our regional  non-                                                                    
     profit.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     I'm  honored  to  be  here to  share  my  thoughts  and                                                                    
     recommendations  today. Many  of  us in  the room  were                                                                    
     members of  the Alaska Arctic Policy  Commission (AAPC)                                                                    
     and are proud  of the work for  the implementation plan                                                                    
     recommendations which  the City  of Nome  supports. The                                                                    
     AAPC's   Implementation   Plan   ties   in   with   the                                                                    
     foundations  of the  Arctic Waterways  Safety Committee                                                                    
     (AWSC), which  is the  process of  identifying projects                                                                    
     for our work plan for the next two years.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     I'll  paraphrase  the  D17 Admiral  Abel's  description                                                                    
     that AWSC  is one  leg of  the three-legged  stool. The                                                                    
     other two legs are the  Bering Strait Port Access Route                                                                    
     and  the  International Maritime  Organization's  Polar                                                                    
     Code.  Pull one  of those  legs  of that  stool and  it                                                                    
     becomes unbalanced.  AWSC allows open  participation to                                                                    
     address conflicts to be resolved  with all users of the                                                                    
     waterway  without   and  attorneys  or   10-year  court                                                                    
     battles that  cost thousands of  dollars. We  thank the                                                                    
     U.S.  Coast  Guard  District  17  for  their  technical                                                                    
     assistance with AWSC.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Globally,  nationally,  and  statewide there  are  many                                                                    
     forums, conferences,  studies, and  workshops happening                                                                    
     with  regards to  the  Arctic  and many  international,                                                                    
     federal,  and   state  agencies  are   working  towards                                                                    
     policies for governance of the  Arctic which may impact                                                                    
     our way of life  and provide opportunities for economic                                                                    
     development. It  is an overwhelming process  to keep on                                                                    
     top of all  the activities to ensure that  we, who live                                                                    
     in the Arctic, are at the  table and we are part of the                                                                    
     process   in  the   formulation   of   any  rules   and                                                                    
     regulations that govern  our way of life.  AWSC will be                                                                    
     the  forum for  all information  to be  disseminated to                                                                    
     all users  of the  waterway to identify,  assess, plan,                                                                    
     communicate,  and   implement  those   operational  and                                                                    
     environmental best practices that  promote the safe and                                                                    
     efficient  use  of  Arctic  waters  from  St.  Lawrence                                                                    
     Island through the Alaskan and Beaufort Seas.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     The Bering  Strait and  the Port of  Nome have  seen an                                                                    
     increase ten-fold  with the number  of dockings  at 446                                                                    
     in  the 2014  shipping  season. Many  of these  vessels                                                                    
     have successfully traversed  the Northwest Passage from                                                                    
     sailboats,   cruise  ships   and  foreign-flagged   ice                                                                    
     breakers.  Add that  in with  destination traffic  from                                                                    
     companies  that  have  been  operating  in  our  waters                                                                    
     successfully  for years,  and  the  Bering Strait  will                                                                    
     require a  traffic vessel scheme  within that  51 miles                                                                    
     to   avoid  any   accidents.   Adventure  tourism   has                                                                    
     increased  with kite  boarders,  jet skiers,  swimmers,                                                                    
     kayakers,   and   winter    ice   driving   expeditions                                                                    
     attempting to  cross international borders. There  is a                                                                    
     lot  of water  activity traversing  through the  Bering                                                                    
     Strait in  a short window  of time during the  open ice                                                                    
     season.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     There have been  a few near misses. A  fuel barge broke                                                                    
     loose from its tug, but  the company was able to launch                                                                    
     another tug  to get  it controlled  in rough  waters. A                                                                    
     tug traveling south sank off St. Michael.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     The  Port   of  Nome   has  vested  interest   in  AWSC                                                                    
     activities, as we are the  only medium draft port north                                                                    
     of Nunivak  and have  just recently been  identified as                                                                    
     the Arctic  deep draft port  by the U.S. Army  Corps of                                                                    
     Engineers  and  Alaska Department  of  Transportation's                                                                    
     Tentative Selected  Plan. The  need is immediate  for a                                                                    
     deep draft port and a place of refuge.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Climate  change impacts  ocean  temperatures and  water                                                                    
     chemistry,  and impacts  the biodiversity  with unknown                                                                    
     plant  and animal  life in  locations  where they  have                                                                    
     never been seen before.  Nome's port commissioners have                                                                    
     provided concerns which the city  has submitted to AWSC                                                                    
     in  regards to  early  spring season  ice breaking  and                                                                    
     what the  effects on the  biodiversity it will  have on                                                                    
     the fish.  The Bering  Strait's regional  fishing fleet                                                                    
     is one of  the economic drivers that home  ports at the                                                                    
     Port of Nome. Members of  AWSC have one thing in common                                                                    
     -  sea  ice coverage.  The  Port  of  Nome has  had  to                                                                    
     address  user conflict  in the  port with  subsistence,                                                                    
     dredging,   and   commercial    users   with   waterway                                                                    
     management, so we felt it  was important to participate                                                                    
     in AWSC due to our strategic location.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The  AAPC's Arctic  Policy #2  - "Collaborate  with all                                                                    
     levels of  government, tribes,  industry, and  NGO's to                                                                    
     achieve  transparent  and  inclusive  Arctic  decision-                                                                    
     making  resulting  in  more informed,  sustainable  and                                                                    
     beneficial  outcomes including  efforts  to (c)  pursue                                                                    
     opportunities to participate  meaningfully as a partner                                                                    
     in the development of  federal and international Arctic                                                                    
     policies,   thereby  incorporating   state  and   local                                                                    
     knowledge  and  expertise."  This  body's  makeup  does                                                                    
     exactly  that; tribal  and  municipalities  are at  the                                                                    
     table and part of the solutions process.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     The AAPC's Arctic Policy #3  - "Enhance security of the                                                                    
     state through a safe  and secure Arctic for individuals                                                                    
     and communities  include (b)  provide safe,  secure and                                                                    
     reliable maritime  transportation in  the areas  of the                                                                    
     state  adjacent to  the Arctic"  are  issues that  AWSC                                                                    
     will address.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Most importantly, the AAPC's  Arctic Policy #4 - "Value                                                                    
     and  strengthen  the   resilience  of  communities  and                                                                    
     respect  and integrate  the  culture  and knowledge  of                                                                    
     Arctic  peoples,  including  efforts to  (a)  recognize                                                                    
     Arctic   indigenous   people's   culture   and   unique                                                                    
     relationship to  the environment  including traditional                                                                    
     reliance  on  a  subsistence  way   of  life  for  food                                                                    
     security, which provides a  spiritual connection to the                                                                    
     land  and  seas."  AWSC had  the  marine  industry  and                                                                    
     subsistence  users at  the table  to address  substance                                                                    
     security.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     AAPC's  strategic line  of effort  #2 -  "The state  of                                                                    
     Alaska  will  address  the  response  capacity  gap  in                                                                    
     Alaska's  Arctic  support  efforts   to  2  (c)  expand                                                                    
     development  of  appropriately  integrated  systems  to                                                                    
     monitor and  communicate Arctic  maritime information,"                                                                    
     and strategic line of effort  #3 - "The state of Alaska                                                                    
     will  support healthy  communities  3(c) support  long-                                                                    
     term  strategic  planning  efforts  that  utilize  past                                                                    
     achievements, leverage existing  methods and strengthen                                                                    
     local  planning   that  asses  and   directs  economic,                                                                    
     community  and infrastructure  development, as  well as                                                                    
     environmental  protection and  human  safety," will  be                                                                    
     addressed by AWSC.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     We request support to fund the administration of AWSC                                                                      
      through the cruise ship head tax. Again, I thank you                                                                      
     for allowing the City of Nome to participate.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:13:24 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE thanked  her for  integrating AWSC's  strategic                                                               
lines of effort into her community.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS noted an important  point; Alaska is occupying its space                                                               
and does  not need outside  help or interference. The  process is                                                               
in place  and the AWSC  board makeup  is broad and  inclusive. He                                                               
highlighted potential  policy areas  AWSC is looking  at: traffic                                                               
routing, sensitive habitats/areas to  be avoided, whale migration                                                               
timing  and   areas,  conflict  avoidance  with   local  vessels,                                                               
emergency  response capability/SAR,  marine pilotage,  navigation                                                               
aids/tracking  and   communication  systems,   and  international                                                               
cooperation.  He  mentioned  the  commitment by  Canada  to  work                                                               
together and the Marine Exchange Tracking System in place.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He turned to the publication  process: publish policies on AWSC's                                                               
website, provide  adopted policies to USCG,  DEC, Arctic Council,                                                               
and  Arctic  maritime  operators  and  insurance  carriers,  USCG                                                               
publishes   policies   in   Navigation  and   Vessel   Inspection                                                               
Circulars, in  the Coast  Pilot and in  Notices to  Mariners, and                                                               
DEC incorporates  the policies in their  sub-area response plans.                                                               
He noted that the insurance  industry is concerned about the lack                                                               
of  Safe  Practices and  assured  AWSC  that  they would  aid  in                                                               
getting  a  certificate  of  insurance   if  AWSC  develops  Best                                                               
Practices. He termed AWSC's process a streamlined process.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
11:16:21 AM                                                                                                                   
MR. FUHS  described the  funding mechanisms, such  as the  use of                                                               
excess cruise  ship head  tax funds request.  He said  AWSC would                                                               
request $160,000 from the head  tax to cover basic administrative                                                               
expenses.  He concluded  that AWSC  is looking  out for  Alaska's                                                               
future and is a strong implementation piece of Artic policy.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
11:17:50 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE thanked  the presenters.  She commented  on the                                                               
Pacific Northwest  Economic Region Meeting, noting  that there is                                                               
great interest by  Canada in collaborating on  shared issues. She                                                               
said Alaskans take care of  themselves by collaborating with many                                                               
groups  and  using technology,  to  solve  a problem.  She  asked                                                               
whether  AWSC  should contact  Canada  about  creating a  similar                                                               
commission that would work across borders.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS replied  that they did meet with Canada.  He pointed out                                                               
that the  maritime industry likes consistent  standards. There is                                                               
a  lot of  opportunity for  working with  Canada. He  provide two                                                               
examples   of  vessels   that  had   issues.  He   stressed  that                                                               
international cooperation is vital.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
11:20:48 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE  mentioned  the   lack  of  emergency  response                                                               
capability  in  the  Arctic  and   asked  for  AWSC's  limits  of                                                               
authority   when  requiring   vessels   to   have  an   emergency                                                               
preparedness and response  spill plan in place. She  asked if Mr.                                                               
Fuhs envisioned that to be within AWSC's power.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS said yes. He noted  that all available resources must be                                                               
used. He  used the adrift  Shell tug  as an example.  He stressed                                                               
that vessels  must have a  safety plan in  place. He said  DEC is                                                               
working  with  AWSC  on  a   compliance  plan.  He  stressed  the                                                               
importance of prevention first.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
11:22:54 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR OLSON asked  if ASWC has any interaction  with the Bering                                                               
Sea Alliance.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. GOODWIN  said there would be  opportunities for sub-committee                                                               
groups to work on various issues with different user groups.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS said  ASWC has had discussions with  the group regarding                                                               
training local people to work on the response plan.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  OLSON asked  how  to  encourage responsible  development                                                               
without inhibiting Shell's activity.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS  explained that Shell is  a founding member of  AWSC and                                                               
they  want  to have  safety  standards  in  place. They  want  to                                                               
protect  their  reputation  and  want   to  work  together  in  a                                                               
collaborative effort.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:26:07 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR BISHOP pointed  out one word from  the presentations that                                                               
resonates;  sharing. He  said it  is a  powerful concept  for the                                                               
people and adds value.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. GOODWIN said  the Native people have survived  by sharing and                                                               
will continue to  share knowledge to ensure their  own safety. He                                                               
provided an example of how AWSC worked with Shell.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE  related Senator Murkowski's intent  to continue                                                               
federal  hearings  and  educating her  colleague  about  Alaska's                                                               
efforts in  the Arctic and  the importance of working  with local                                                               
and indigenous people and sharing information.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
11:28:52 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL  opined that AWSC  is a  labor of love.  He noted                                                               
how  hard it  is for  Alaska to  work with  Russia on  a national                                                               
level,  but  not  as  hard  on   a  local  level.  He  asked  for                                                               
suggestions on how to deal with Russia.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. GOODWIN  said they  have worked with  the Russians  on marine                                                               
mammal issues.  He shared a  story about a hunter.  He maintained                                                               
that the issues are with the government, not the people.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL asked if the state could work with local dumas.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. GOODWIN said it would be a first step.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
11:31:20 AM                                                                                                                   
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE  noted regular  exchanges in  the past  with the                                                               
dumas.  She said  the Governor  has  made a  commitment to  renew                                                               
Alaska's membership in a Northern Forum.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. FUHS  suggested there  could be  a bi-lateral  agreement with                                                               
Russia  that  does  not  have to  go  through  the  international                                                               
maritime organization.  He noted that  the Coast Guard  does have                                                               
direct  communication links.  Response capabilities  are unknown,                                                               
so Alaska needs to participate  in joint drills. Russia has three                                                               
new  rescue tugs.  He concluded  that  agreements need  to be  in                                                               
place in advance of an event.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COGHILL said  steaming time  across the  Chukchi Sea  is                                                               
wide open. He said it is nice  to know that deep water mapping is                                                               
occurring.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE  said Russian diplomacy  has been a  disaster at                                                               
the federal level and suggested trying it at the local level.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL voiced appreciation for AWSC.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. GOODWIN requested help with AWSC's budget.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE agreed to help with it.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:36:01 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR OLSON  asked about  a budget  item for  $40,000 regarding                                                               
subcontracted work for studies and research.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FUHS explained  that  the funds  are  for identification  of                                                               
habitat areas,  putting zones  on a GIS  map, technical  work for                                                               
publishing the plans, and legal work.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE thanked the presenters.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON  requested testimony from the  local perspective of                                                               
AWSC members.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
11:38:05 AM                                                                                                                   
GEORGE  NOONGWOOK, Alaska  Eskimo  Whaling  Commission and  AWSC,                                                               
presented information  on the Arctic Waterways  Safety Committee.                                                               
He said  the key to his  people's survival has been  sharing, and                                                               
cooperation and that method of  communication is also used in the                                                               
AWSC  network.  He  said  he   appreciates  the  efforts  of  the                                                               
committee and the commission.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  OLSON said  St. Lawrence  Island  was the  site of  many                                                               
ships and boats that have sunk and warrants attention.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. NOONGWOOK noted  that the corridor of the Bering  Sea and the                                                               
Beaufort  Sea also  warrants careful  undertaking  due to  marine                                                               
life.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:40:59 AM                                                                                                                   
ARNOLD  BROWER, JR.,  Executive Director,  Alaska Eskimo  Whaling                                                               
Commission  and   AWSC,  presented  information  on   the  Arctic                                                               
Waterways  Safety  Committee. He  reminded  the  committee of  an                                                               
event in 1988 - the rescue of  three gray whales with the help of                                                               
the Whaling Commission  and the Russians. As a  result, there are                                                               
bi-lateral scientific  studies with Russia on  oceans and bowhead                                                               
whales.  Last  month they  signed  an  agreement with  Russia  on                                                               
sharing whale  quotas and continuing scientific  studies. He said                                                               
those are  the types of  things that  are happening from  a local                                                               
perspective. They  also have relationships with  Finland, Norway,                                                               
Iceland, and Japan in the  international whaling commission. They                                                               
are  also working  together on  a whale  population census  and a                                                               
renewable   resource  plan.   He  stressed   the  importance   of                                                               
irrefutable science data, such as  determining the age of bowhead                                                               
whales through carbon  dating, which showed one  whale that lived                                                               
during the time of Hiroshima.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  pointed out  that the  native people  already do                                                               
what the  rest of the U.S.  should do, recognized that  Alaska is                                                               
an   international  state.   Alaska   has  unique   international                                                               
relationships and is more connected than most states.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:45:57 AM                                                                                                                   
There being nothing further to come before the committee,                                                                       
Chair McGuire adjourned the Senate Special Committee on the                                                                     
Arctic at 11:45 a.m.                                                                                                            

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
Senate AWSC presentation.pptx SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
Committee Agenda.doc SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
Testimony- Willie Goodwin.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
Testimony- Alaska Marine Pilots LLC.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
Testimony- Denise Michels, Mayor of Nome.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
Elements of the Arctic AWS plan.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
AWSC proposed budget.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM
AWSC organizational structure.PDF SARC 3/10/2015 10:45:00 AM