Legislature(2009 - 2010)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/30/2010 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| SCR17 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SCR 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 30, 2010
3:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Donald Olson, Chair
Senator Joe Thomas, Vice Chair
Senator Hollis French
Senator Albert Kookesh
Senator Linda Menard
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
REPRESENTATIVE N. FOSTER
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 17
Establishing and relating to the Alaska Northern Waters Task
Force.
- MOVED SCR 17 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SCR 17
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA NORTHERN WATERS TASK FORCE
SPONSOR(s): COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
03/29/10 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/29/10 (S) CRA, FIN
03/30/10 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
JIM CULVER
Aide to Senator Olson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SCR 17.
CHRISTINE HESS
Aide to Representative Joule
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information on SCR 17.
ELIZABETH HENSLEY
Intern to Representative Joule
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information on SCR 17.
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN, District 36
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information on SCR 17.
TOM OKLEASIK, planning director
Northwest Arctic Borough
Kotzebue, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 17.
ANDREI JACOBS
Alaska House New York (AHNY)
New York City, New York
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 17.
BILL NOLL
Representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 17.
ANDY MACK, special assistant
Office of the Mayor of the North Slope Borough
Barrow, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 17.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:35:08 PM
CHAIR DONALD OLSON called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Menard, Thomas, French,
Kookesh and Olson.
SCR 17-ALASKA NORTHERN WATERS TASK FORCE
3:35:41 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced the first order of business to come before
the committee was SCR 17. He said SCR 17 is a committee
resolution and a companion to HCR 22.
JIM CULVER, aide to Senator Olson, said SCR 17 is a
collaboration of the bush caucus, including the work of
Representatives Joule, Austerman, Herron and Senator Olson. The
shrinking polar ice cap is opening Arctic waters to marine
transportation and creating new security concerns and resource
development opportunities. SCR 17 creates a legislative task
force to develop recommendations and coordinate policy between
Alaska and the federal government. Over 30 federal agencies are
working on this issue and Alaska is not involved. The task force
will be made up of local government officials, legislators and
federal officials and will hold meetings in Anchorage, Nome,
Kotzebue and Barrow. The task force will deliver a report to the
Legislature in January 2012. The fiscal note, for travel to
these meetings, is $94,000 for the next fiscal year and $52,000
for the following fiscal year. He noted that HCR 22 was passed
out of House Community and Regional Affairs this morning.
3:38:14 PM
CHRISTINE HESS, aide to Representative Joule, noted that
shipping traffic has increased in arctic waters and an
unannounced cruise ship came through. The Coast Guard is
increasing its presence and looking at a possible deep water
port. Changing ice conditions will allow for economic and
resource development. Activity has already begun and will
increase in the future. Five hearings for the proposed task
force are planned: two in Anchorage, and one in Nome, Barrow and
Kotzebue.
SENATOR MENARD asked how many open water summers the arctic has
had.
ELIZABETH HENSLEY, intern to Representative Joule, replied that
frozen ice is present year round but is depleting at a rate of
nine percent per decade. Summers are not entirely ice free but
passageways are present. Icebreakers are still necessary.
CHAIR OLSON recognized Representative Foster as joining the
meeting.
3:41:13 PM
SENATOR KOOKESH asked about any opposition to SCR 17.
MS. HESS replied that she has not heard any opposition. Several
agencies, such as the U.S. Arctic Commission, brought the issue
to Representative Joule's attention and strongly support SCR 17.
SENATOR THOMAS asked if any consideration has been given to the
science going on in the area as there seems to be a lot of
disagreement about what is taking place. He noted that the
University of Alaska's research vessel is being deployed to the
area with extensive ability to monitor and its research should
make helpful contributions.
MR. CULVER said that it would be the job of the task force to
bring in expert panelists though the scientific experts would
not necessarily be on the task force.
3:44:09 PM
CHAIR OLSON recognized Representative Austerman as joining the
meeting.
MS. HESS said the task force has a narrow mission: to have input
into the formation of the federal commission which will oversee
Arctic Ocean and northern waters development. The task force
will be made up of a small number of people working on making
sure the state has an active role in the federal commission.
Later, a long standing commission dealing with northern waters
development is a likely recommendation. That future commission
might include more interested parties.
CHAIR OLSON asked if Ms. Hess was talking about a state or
federal commission.
MS. HESS replied that conceivably there could be a federal
commission and a recommendation for a state commission as well.
SENATOR THOMAS said he does not see a narrowly defined goal for
the task force in the language of SCR 17.
MS. HENSLEY replied the duties of the task force are listed on
page 3, line 11 of SCR 17 and include: "assess and facilitate
the creation of a state and federal commission". The task force
would consider the feasibility and need for creating a state
commission to look at the changing northern waters. The task
force will visit four communities and ask what kind of
commission people would like to see and how the state can best
participate. She noted that the mayors of Nome, Northwest Arctic
Borough and North Slope Borough would be on the task force so
that their voices will be included.
The task force will present its recommendations to the
Legislature in January 2012, such as possibly creating a
[standing] commission. The task force is a fact-finding entity
to get the ball rolling.
3:48:28 PM
SENATOR THOMAS asked if the task force's main goal is to create
two commissions: one state and one federal. He commented that
the members of the task force seemed carefully considered.
MS. HENSLEY replied that the idea of SCR 17 is to have one state
and federal commission. The task force will hold hearings and
bring any number of recommendations to the Legislature. The
state waters are only out to mile three and beyond that is
federal. A federal state commission would be best.
SENATOR THOMAS clarified that Ms. Hensley means a joint federal
state commission.
MS. HENSLEY replied yes.
CHAIR OLSON asked about the plans for a deep water port.
MS. HESS said the Coast Guard is currently studying where the
best point for a deep water port would be.
CHAIR OLSON asked about customs and foreign security.
3:51:06 PM
MS. HESS replied that the federal government is looking into
national security issues.
CHAIR OLSON asked if Canada has provincial participation in the
Arctic issues.
MS. HENSLEY replied that Canada is very active in the arctic
region; there are two current conflicts about territory between
the US and Canada and Denmark and Canada. Canada has been
forthright in making territorial claims. Last week, Canada
hosted a meeting with six of the eight arctic nations. Russia is
active in these conversations and sent a flag to the outer
continental shelf. The federal government deals with foreign
relations but Alaska should have a say.
CHAIR OLSON said the international power is concerning.
MR. CULVER said testifiers will be able to speak to
collaboration in other nations. He also pointed out that ten
percent of the Legislature is involved in this legislation,
including Representative Foster who was not named earlier.
3:54:00 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked what issues will be addressed in 2012.
MS. HESS replied that the prime goal is to present a
recommendation on how the state would participate in the federal
commission that the federal government is already working on.
Further recommendations will address how the Legislature can
actively participate in northern waters issues.
SENATOR MENARD asked what other arctic nation's progress could
be mirrored.
MS. HENSLEY replied that she appreciates Greenland's system. The
local government, a territory of Denmark, is very active in
asserting its self-determination in relation to northern waters
and development. The local government has taken advantage of
opportunities and a lot of communication is happening. The task
force in SCR 17 is a communication mechanism.
SENATOR MENARD said it can be useful to mirror another nation
who is doing a good job.
3:57:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN said creating a task force is
important. He referred to the Wrangell Islands and former
Senator Taylor's involvement in making sure the U.S. was
protecting itself. Russia, China and others are rapidly working
on developing their arctic fisheries. Alaska is behind. The
federal government is moving forward, the Coast Guard is working
on their method to patrol the area. What happens outside the
three mile limit, but impacts Alaska, is just as important as
what happens within the three mile limit. The North Pacific
Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), set up by the federal
government to manage fisheries outside of three miles, is a good
model except that the Alaska Legislature has no say in policy
decisions that affect Alaska.
4:01:05 PM
The Legislature has can put this task force together and have
input into how a commission is formalized.
SENATOR FRENCH commented that the NPFMC has fairly clear
jurisdiction over the entity it is governing. He wonders how the
task force will integrate its jurisdiction over state issues
with respect to a global issue.
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN replied that only a few people are
discussing whether Alaska should be involved and how. The state
is not at the table. How much push to have, and where, will be
part of the task force's future recommendation.
4:03:54 PM
TOM OKLEASIK, planning director, Northwest Arctic Borough,
Kotzebue, said the borough supports SCR 17. The arctic is home
to the Inupiat people with interrelationships across regions and
countries and a close connection to the environment. Satellite
photos show significant ice free areas, especially off the North
Slope coast where ice receded the furthest in recorded history.
This created an open passageway across the Northwest Passage.
Each summer is different but the climate is changing. He
recognizes the global economic interest in the arctic from
exploration to exploitation of natural resources both on shore
and off shore. State and federal policy and permit decisions
need to be cautionary. Any development needs to be done in
partnership with Inuit across the arctic. The arctic is one of
the last pristine environments on the globe.
4:06:34 PM
In addition to the membership outlined in SCR 17, the task force
should also include the Eskimo Walrus Commission, the Alaska
Eskimo Whaling Commission, the Nanuuq Commission and the Inuit
Circumpolar Conference of Alaska and include knowledge of the
existing resources that have been used for many generations. A
joint strategic planning session with the Northwest Arctic
Borough and North Slope Borough found that high use subsistence
areas should be mapped, particularly in coastal areas, and be
considered by the task force. Both boroughs feel that their cash
economy and subsistence economies need a boost, not one or the
other. Ports are needed in Barrow, Kotzebue and Nome to keep up
with a changing arctic. How these areas can be energy
independent, and can contribute to U.S. energy needs should be
considered as well as wildlife protection. Alaska and the U.S.
have a lack of planning for the arctic.
4:09:21 PM
DENISE MICHELS, Mayor of Nome, testified in support of SCR 17.
Arctic shipping and vessel traffic in the Bering Sea and Norton
Sound are increasing. In 1990, Nome's port had 34 dockings. In
2009, the port had 301 dockings. Three vessels in 2008 and four
in 2009 stopped in Nome after successfully completing the
Northwest Passage. Nome has been working with Kawarek, Inuit
Circumpolar Conference, the Arctic Research Commission, the
University of Alaska - Fairbanks, the governor's climate change
subcabinet, the Arctic Council, Institute of the North, Alaska's
congressional delegation, the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of
Engineers and NOAA on emerging arctic issues. Nome provides
information on opportunities and concerns, scientific studies,
infrastructure needs, environmental responses, search and rescue
and national security. Nome follows the White House Council on
Environmental Quality Ocean Policy task force, which is similar
to the task force proposed by SCR 17, and is creating
comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based marine planning and
management. Three studies on ports and harbors are currently
underway. The city of Nome needs to be at the table regarding
laws and regulations that national and international bodies are
considering because they affect Nome directly.
4:12:42 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked Ms. Michels for a projection of dockings in
Nome over the next 20 years.
MS. MICHELS replied that this needs to be studied. She commented
that the ocean is open longer each year; barges have docked in
November for the last couple of years, which was unheard of just
ten years ago.
CHAIR OLSON if the facilities at Nome would have to be
significantly increased to handle the increased traffic.
MS. MICHELS replied yes. The current draft is minus 22 and large
vessels require at least minus 50.
ANDREI JACOBS, Alaska House New York (AHNY) referred to the
earlier statement that over 30 groups are tackling the subject
of Northern waters development and noted that AHNY has a unique
ability to connect Alaska with decision makers in New York and
Washington DC. AHNY has had several events associated with
Northern waters discussions including two receptions hosted by
AHNY and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) to educate the
public and media.
4:16:23 PM
The Norwegian Consulate General expressed interest in increasing
communication with Alaska. AKHY is a reasonable place to convene
thinkers, media and industry.
BILL NOLL, representing himself, Anchorage, said he is a former
mayor of Seward, former Commissioner of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (CCED) and the founding president of Alaska
Sea Life Center. He fully endorsed SCR 17 as a strong move in
the right direction. He attended the March 1st CFR event at AHNY
where the Consulate General of Norway expressed the desire to
talk with Alaska about receding sea ice. Relationships with
Japan and Russia would also be possible and beneficial.
4:20:29 PM
He felt the model of the NPFMC was a good one as it mandated
federal and state coordination. NPFMC has a science and
statistics component which makes recommendations to the council
at large. He likes NPFMC's model of the advisory panel
collecting information and approaching tangled issues.
Consideration of a commission on northern waters is at square
one and Alaska can have a say in how it is formed.
4:23:46 PM
Andy Mack, special assistant to the mayor of the North Slope
Borough, said the borough supports SCR 17. Collaboration at the
federal level is going on around climate change, its impacts and
engaging local communities. The Bush administration issued a new
arctic policy in January of 2009 and the Obama administration
started an ocean policy task force. The effects of these
policies and discussions have been and will continue to trickle
down through federal departments and agencies. Alaska needs to
stand up and be part of this because policies are being
formulated now, without Alaska's input.
4:26:03 PM
CHAIR OLSON closed public testimony.
SENATOR MENARD moved to report SCR 17 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There
being no objection, the motion carried.
4:26:57 PM
CHAIR OLSON, seeing no further business to come before the
committee, adjourned the meeting at 4:26 p.m.
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