Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/05/2019 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Commissioner, Regulatory Commission of Alaska | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 5, 2019
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Click Bishop, Chair
Senator Chris Birch, Vice Chair
Senator Mia Costello
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Regulatory Commission of Alaska - Commissioner
Dan Sullivan - Anchorage
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
DAN SULLIVAN, Commissioner Appointee
Regulatory Commission of Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided testimony on his appointment to the
Regulatory Commission of Alaska.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:57 PM
CHAIR CLICK BISHOP called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Birch, Costello, Hoffman,
Gray-Jackson, and Chair Bishop.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Commissioner, Regulatory Commission of
Alaska
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Commissioner, Regulatory Commission of Alaska
3:31:38 PM
CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of Dan Sullivan as
commissioner appointee to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska
(RCA).
3:32:21 PM
DAN SULLIVAN, Commissioner Appointee, Public Seat, Regulatory
Commission of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, said his experience
that relates to the RCA started over 30 years ago. He provided
his curriculum vitae as follows:
• The Sullivan Group:
o His company represented major international oil
producers for six years:
square4 Marathon Oil,
square4 Philips Petroleum.
o He addressed many statutory and regulatory issues for
the oil producers, an early introduction into the
world of regulated oil and gas producers.
• 1999-2008:
o Served on the Anchorage Municipal Assembly:
square4 Served as chair from 2006-2007.
square4 Mayor from 2009-2015.
square4 Dealt with issues pertaining to two regulated
utilities in Anchorage:
• Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility,
• Municipal Light and Power.
• 2003-2010:
o Appointed by three different governors to serve on the
Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority Board of
Directors:
square4 Voter approved pipeline project.
square4 Worked seven years on every aspect of developing
a natural gas pipeline:
• One of the jobs of the RCA is tariffs on
pipelines and that was an integral part of
what the board did.
• 2009-2010:
o Formed the Mayor's Energy Task Force:
square4 Addressed the looming shortage of gas supply in
Cook Inlet:
• Met with stakeholders to make sure there was
reliable gas in Cook Inlet.
square4 Joined with the mayors of Kenai and Mat-Su
Borough to start brownout drills because the Cook
Inlet gas supply was in jeopardy.
square4 Legislature passed bills to incentivize gas
exploration and storage in Cook Inlet.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN opined that utilities have a
constant need to keep their facilities upgraded so they can
provide reliability; however, at the same there must be balance
so that consumers aren't paying an exorbitant rate beyond what
would be normally expected to get those services. He said he
brings a good wealth of knowledge to the RCA but conceded that
there is a lot to learn. He noted that the RCA had a meeting
earlier that day and opined that his participation on various
proposals was valuable.
3:36:18 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON pointed out that the sale of Municipal
Light and Gas (ML&P) to Chugiak Electric is going before the
RCA. She noted that Commissioner Appointee Sullivan has been
outspoken about the sale of ML&P to Chugiak Electric and asked
if he felt the same today.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN specified that his previous
remarks regarding the sale were directed towards the process. He
explained that the Municipality of Anchorage charter requires a
60-percent vote of the people to sell a municipal utility;
however, the vote requirement was changed to 50 percent
specifically for the ML&P sale. He said he did not like the
charter to be tinkered with for special interest legislation. He
opined that if something is of great value and can be explained
to the public, there is no reason to change the charter
requirement. However, the vote was over 60 percent in favor of
the sale and that satisfied his concerns about the process.
SENATOR COSTELLO opined that RCA appointments are one of the
most significant that the Legislature makes and she was happy
that Mr. Sullivan would was appointed.
She asked if he was open to reviewing outdated regulations and
possibly taking them off the books if it appears that the
environment is different.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN answered he was absolutely
willing to do so. He noted that during the RCA meeting earlier
in the day the question came up regarding the inconsistency in
regulating a particular aspect of a company's business. He said
he always supports simplification and thinks that in many cases
government has gotten too complicated for people and businesses
to easily navigate. He stated that he will do what he can to
simplify things while keeping in mind that the watchdog purpose
of the RCA must be balanced. He opined that he is good at that.
3:39:39 PM
CHAIR BISHOP asked what his strongest suit is that he brings to
the RCA.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN answered that he has always
prided himself as an analytical person who reads documents, gets
all the information he can, and makes his decisions based on
"factual" information and not on an emotional reaction. He
opined that his analytical approach is an important attribute
because there are many issues that require board members to do
their homework and learn the facts, something that he believes
he does in a calm and respectful way. He conceded that meetings
can get emotional at times when there is a lot at stake. He said
his analytical attribute will allow him to be responsibly
knowledgeable, calm and collected, and he will offer his
opinions with the greatest respect to the people he is directing
his opinions towards.
CHAIR BISHOP noted that Commissioner Appointee is a fourth-
generation Alaskan from Fairbanks Creek, Alaska.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN replied that he grew up in
Fairbanks Creek, noting that his family mined in the area in the
early 1900s. He said some family members still have gold claims
in the area.
3:41:47 PM
SENATOR BIRCH said he and Commissioner Appointee Sullivan served
on the Anchorage Municipal Assembly together and he can attest
that Mayor Sullivan always worked hard and did his homework.
He mentioned the keen interest in ensuring that Alaska is open
for business and asked how he sees improving the regulatory
environment if there are redundancies or measures that are not
effective in serving a public purpose.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN answered that one commissioner
cannot change any process because the panel has five members,
and everybody has their own viewpoint. However, there seems to
be a general consensus that if businesses should be as efficient
as possible. He noted that in the telecommunications business
there have been efforts to expand deregulation. The wireless
carriers have a lighter set of regulations than the hardline
carriers and efforts are underway to combine the two groups into
one less regulated business. He said the RCA is going to look at
those opportunities in virtually everything the commission
regulates.
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE SULLIVAN concluded that if removing
regulation and letting people work under statutes and
jurisdictions makes sense, RCA will try and do that.
3:43:51 PM
CHAIR BISHOP opened public testimony.
3:44:04 PM
CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony.
3:44:11 PM
CHAIR BISHOP stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee
reviewed the following and recommends the appointment be
forwarded to a joint session for consideration:
Commissioner, Regulatory Commission of Alaska
Dan Sullivan - Anchorage
CHAIR BISHOP reminded members that this does not reflect an
intent by any of the members to vote for or against the
confirmation of the individual during any further sessions.
He detailed that this RCA board appointment runs from March 1,
2019 to March 1, 2025.
3:44:49 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Bishop adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee meeting at 3:44 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation Resume Regulatory Commission of Alaska Sullivan 2019.pdf |
SCRA 3/5/2019 3:30:00 PM |
Confirmations 2019 |
| RCA Fact Sheet.pdf |
SCRA 3/5/2019 3:30:00 PM |