Legislature(2007 - 2008)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/26/2008 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB 303 | |
| SB185 | |
| HB 152 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 303 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 185 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 152 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 26, 2008
9:11 a.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee meeting
to order at 9:11:06 AM.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice-Chair
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Ginger Blaisdell, Staff, Senator Green; Kathie Wasserman,
Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League; Bill Allen,
City Manager, City of Palmer; Senator Bill Wielechowski;
George Ascott, Staff, Senator Wielechowski; Anne Carpeneti,
Assistant Attorney General, Legal Services Section-Juneau,
Criminal Division, Department of Law; John Bitney, Staff,
Representative John Harris; Bill Leighty, Director, The
Leighty Foundation
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Bill Griffith, Facility Programs Manger, Division of Water,
Department of Environmental Conservation; Archie Giddings,
Public Works Director, City of Wasilla; Kathy Monfreda,
Chief of Criminal Records and Identification Bureau,
Department of Public Safety; Karen Foster, Surviving Parents
Coalition; Peyton Merideth, Detective, Fairbanks Police
Department; Ron Tidler, Detective, Anchorage Police
Department; Chris Rose, Executive Director, Renewable Energy
Alaska Projects; Earnest Weiss, Mayor, City of King Cove;
Gary Hennigh, City Administrator, City of King Cove; Phil
Steyer, Director of Corporate Communications, Chugach
Electric; Scott Saline, Refrigeration Contractor, Sitka
SUMMARY
SB 303 "An Act relating to certain grants awarded by the
Department of Environmental Conservation."
SB 303 was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do
pass" and an accompanying previously published
fiscal note from the Department of Environmental
Conservation.
SB 185 "An Act relating to sex offenders and child
kidnappers; and providing for an effective date."
SB 185 (STA) was REPORTED out of Committee with a
"do pass" recommendation and an accompanying new
zero fiscal notes from the Department of
Corrections and the Department of Administration
and previously published fiscal notes from the
Department of Administration, Department of Law,
and the Department of Public Safety.
CS HB 152(FIN)
"An Act establishing a renewable energy project
account and a renewable energy fund and describing
their uses and purposes."
CSSB 152 (FIN) was HEARD and HELD in committee for
further consideration.
9:11:11 AM
SENATE BILL NO. 303
"An Act relating to certain grants awarded by the
Department of Environmental Conservation."
Co-Chair Stedman presented the opening remarks and overview
for the meeting.
9:13:30 AM
GINGER BLAISDELL, STAFF, SENATOR GREEN provided a technical
overview of SB 303. She noted that the bill reflected a
population change from 5,000 to 10,000 persons (Page 1, line
13 and Page 2, line 1-2). She referred to a "community
listing" with the current population of each city in Alaska.
She remarked that Legal Services indicated that changing the
population under this program would not impact any other
program in the state (copy on file). Ms. Blaisdell presented
a final note showing a three year listing of water and sewer
projects and the cities awarded these projects. She
maintained that although the listing reflected FY 07-09
projects, this bill would only deal with FY 09.
Co-Chair Stedman requested an explanation of the bill. Ms.
Blaisdell responded that the bill changes the population
criteria for the rates of community matching water and sewer
grants. She noted that the bill changes the population
criteria from a city of 5,000 to a city of up to 10,000. Ms.
Blaisdell cited that cites of 1000 or less can participate
in the program with a matching rate of eighty five percent
state funding to fifteen percent municipality funding. She
continued that cities between 1,001 and 5,000 have a funding
rate of seventy percent state to thirty percent municipality
participation and cities of 5,001 or higher was on a fifty
percent to fifty percent matching rate. She indicated that
the rational is that cities beginning to grow beyond the
5,000 population mark are experiencing a significant rise in
costs for their expanding system of piped water and sewer.
This has pushed a higher tax burden on the citizens to pay
for the rising costs of steel and construction.
9:16:42 AM
Senator Dyson questioned the genesis of the bill. He also
asked if this involved an expansion of the sewer and water
system or the intensity in the treatment of the water and
wastewater.
9:17:07 AM
Ms. Blaisdell responded that the requests came from multiple
communities. She specified that the bill does not change the
program at all or the type of sewer system used in the
communities, but just helps newly growing communities.
9:17:48 AM
Senator Olson remarked that it would change the funding
structure for these communities and he wondered about the
size of the projects being considered. Ms. Blaisdell showed
that some of projects reflected a wide funding range from a
few hundred thousand to several million. She remarked that a
community has to follow a process by turning in an
application to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
This application is scored and ranked and then a decision
made on how much in general funds will be provided to pay
for the project. If the project costs more than the state
agrees to pay, the Legislature would decide how much of the
General Fund would be made available.
Senator Olson remarked that he does not see reflected in the
fiscal note what it will cost the state when the matching
fund rate changes from a fifty/fifty to a seventy/thirty
ratio.
Co-Chair Stedman answered that the Fiscal Note reflected
$3.72 million for one year.
9:19:32 AM
Ms. Blaisdell remarked that the Fiscal Note only reflects
one year because the number or type of applications that
will be received from the communities next year is not
known. She noted that the $3.72 million reflects the
projects that it is anticipated will be approved in the
budget.
9:20:08 AM
Senator Elton questioned why the grants are made at the
municipal rather than the borough level. Ms. Blaisdell
remarked that boroughs, and municipalities within the
boroughs, may have different powers. Senator Elton seemed to
see a significant difference between a borough with
incorporated municipalities, like the Kenai Borough, and the
boroughs, such as, the Northwest Arctic Borough. He believed
it might create an incentive for organized boroughs, with
municipalities within them, to switch their mode of
operations to access these funds.
9:22:18 AM
Ms. Blaisdell reported that she had never heard this
suggestion from any of the cities impacted by the bill.
Senator Elton mentioned that he understood the impacts for
the next fiscal year and how there is only a change in the
definition of population size but he wondered if there would
be a realistic way for the larger communities to grow
without the money growing. Ms. Blaisdell agreed that more
money would be needed. She stressed that if the fiscal note
for $3.72 million was not passed, then many of the planned
projects for FY 09 would have to be removed.
9:25:32 AM
KATHIE WASSERMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA MUNICIPAL
LEAGUE supported SB 303 because it would help growing
communities boost local water and sewer projects. She
indicated that the 5,000 population number was an arbitrary
number in 1994, but since that time, costs have risen for
water and sewer projects so the intent of the bill is to
raise that arbitrary number to 10,000. She explained the
population number change would help eight communities in
dealing with aging water and sewer projects: Wasilla,
Ketchikan, Kenai, Sitka, Kodiak, Bethel, Palmer and Homer.
Ms. Wasserman answered the earlier question about borough
management by saying that boroughs usually do not have the
water and sewer rights unless it is a unified borough, like
Sitka, Juneau, and Yakatat. She advised that other boroughs
do not provide borough-wide water and sewer projects.
BILL ALLEN, CITY MANAGER, CITY OF PALMER supported SB 303.
He related that the smaller city of Palmer is dealing with
an aging infrastructure that contains lengths of steel wall
construction pipe with a forty percent leakage in the water
system. Mr. Allen pointed out that Palmer is very aggressive
in economic development however the city is only five square
miles which leaves the city trying to expand its boundaries
through annexation. Mr. Allen related that when trying to
annex outlying communities the benefits are important.
Palmer wants to be able provide city-wide safe water and
sanitation. Mr. Allen remarked that the local savings from
fifty percent to thirty percent makes a considerable
difference to the small tax base of Palmer. He remarked that
Palmer is also experiencing a migration into the city from
rural Alaska that is impacting the city's infrastructure.
9:33:29 AM
BILL GRIFFITH, FACILITY PROGRAMS MANGER, DIVISION OF WATER,
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, testified via
teleconference, and advised that the department is not
opposed to this statutory change but it is viewed as a
policy decision by the Legislature to establish what share
of project costs should be born by both the state and the
local municipalities. He affirmed that for FY 09, under
these proposed changes and in order to provide funding for
the same number of projects, it would be necessary to
increase the Department of Environmental Conservation's
Capital Budget request. Or, he advised, the department could
fund fewer projects with the same amount of funding that has
already been requested. He indicated that in future years,
the department would incorporate the new matching ratios
into the department's budget request.
Senator Huggins questioned how many of the existing twenty-
six projects would be affected by this legislation. Mr.
Griffith responded that nine projects would be affected by
this change.
9:35:52 AM
Senator Elton remarked that nine communities would receive a
beneficial effect but there would be a potential negative
affect on smaller communities or larger communities unless
the amount of money grew. Mr. Griffith responded that most
communities of less than 1000 people are eligible for
village safe-water funding which is a separate funding
request the department makes every year.
Senator Elton remarked on the potential negative affect of
communities between 1,000 and 5,000 and the other potential
negative affect on those communities above 10,000, unless
the money grows by Legislative action. Mr. Griffin agreed
that either the money must grow in order to provide funding
for the same number of projects or the choice could be to
fund fewer projects.
9:38:15 AM
Co-Chair Stedman clarified that in the fiscal note, eight
projects are listed for FY 09:
Homer Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
Kenai New Water Transmission Main Phase Wellhouse
Kodiak Aleutian Homes Water & Sewer Replacement Ph 4
Palmer Steel Water Main Replacement Phase 6
Palmer Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Design
Palmer Southwest Utility Extension Phase II
Wasilla Mission Hills Water Extension
Senator Huggins observed that Mr. Griffith clarified that
there are only eight, not nine, community projects.
9:39:59 AM
ARCHIE GIDDINGS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CITY OF WASILLA,
testified via teleconference in support of this legislation.
He mentioned that projects are scored on a priority basis,
not necessarily the size of the project. He expressed the
ongoing difficulty in getting federal funding and stressed
that the increase in the state contribution would help
communities achieve the needed matching funds.
9:41:45 AM
Ms. Blaisdell referred to the population list and indicated
that most of the benefiting communities had a population of
approximately 3,000 in 1994. She remarked that these
communities are now in the 6,000 to 7,000 population range.
She described a large population gap until reaching the
higher population communities of Juneau and Fairbanks at
30,000. She explained that 10,000 was a good base number as
she is confident that neither Juneau nor Fairbanks would
fall below the 10,000 population mark.
9:43:25 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to REPORT SB 303 out of Committee
with individual recommendation and the accompanying fiscal
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
SB 303 was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and an accompanying previously published
fiscal note from the Department of Environmental
Conservation.
AT EASE: 9:44:15 AM
RECONVENED: 9:44:35 AM
SENATE BILL NO. 185
"An Act relating to sex offenders and child
kidnappers."
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, presented an overview of the bill
updating the sex offender list to include the email
addresses and electronic identifiers of convicted sex
offenders and child kidnappers. He remarked that Alaska has
one of the highest internet uses in the country and one of
highest percentage of sex offenders in the nation. He argued
that the bill provides a powerful tool for law enforcement
to track the activities of convicted sex offenders and catch
and punish them when they break the law. Alaska currently
requires sex offenders to register their home addresses and
places of employment but there is, at present, no way to
track their internet communication. Senator Wielechowski
reviewed the bill sections. He noted that:
Section 1 makes not registering the sex offender's
email a crime.
Section 2, Page 3, line 4-6 added the definition of
what must be registered.
Section 3 states that the email must be registered
within one day.
Section 4 has two components, which were added after
statements from the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Section 4, paragraph 2, is a request from Senator
Stevens to make this information available to the
central registries of internet service providers.
Section 5 is the applicability section describing the
dates and times the bill goes into effect.
9:49:21 AM
Co-Chair Stedman questioned the deletion of "knowingly" on
Page 1, line 6.
GEORGE ASCOTT, STAFF, SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI, explained that
the word was deleted on the advice of drafter, Jerry Lukup,
Legislative Affairs legal.
9:50:26 AM
Co-Chair Stedman asked what restrictions are placed on
access to computers for sex offenders.
Senator Wielechowski remarked that this bill does not impact
the use of computers by sex offenders; the bill simply
requires them to register their email addresses.
9:50:42 AM
Senator Thomas requested an explanation on Page 3, lines 22-
31, on how someone could substantiate if their child was
having an internet conversation with a sex offender.
9:51:37 AM
Senator Wielechowski revealed that the original plan was to
generate a public list of sex offenders but the Department
of Public Safety realized this could be used by sex
offenders to network with one another to share pornography.
He explained there would be a system in place, within a
federal office, where parents could type in the email
address or identifier of an individual and find out if that
person is a registered sex offender.
9:52:15 AM
Senator Elton questioned why the registration fee was
assessed to the state and not the sex offender.
9:53:33 AM
KATHY MONFREDA, CHIEF OF CRIMINAL RECORDS AND IDENTIFICATION
BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, testified via
teleconference in support of the bill. She remarked that the
issue of having sex offenders pay for the registration had
occurred in the past but the purpose of the bill is to get
the sex offender to register and many offenders are indigent
and may not be able to pay.
9:54:48 AM
KAREN FOSTER, SURVIVING PARENTS COALITION, testified via
teleconference, and supported the bill. Ms. Foster, the
mother of Bonnie Craig who was murdered in 1994, shared the
statistics of child pornography and sexual predators. She
believed the bill would give law enforcement an incredible
tool to see if a registered sex offender is doing something
illegal on the computer. Ms. Foster stressed that this bill
will provide detailed information and evidence that will
help prosecute the offenders and provide more time to rescue
victims.
9:59:01 AM
PEYTON MERIDETH, DETECTIVE, FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT
testified via teleconference, supported SB 185 on behalf of
the Fairbanks Police Department and Chief of Police, Dan
Hoffman. Mr. Peyton reported that he was the Agency
Representative for Fairbanks Police Department on the Alaska
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. He remarked
that one of his jobs is to investigate child pornography
cases in conjunction with the Anchorage Police Department
and other statewide task force members. He felt that it
would greatly aid law enforcement if sex offenders had to
register their email or other internet identifiers so that
when the police department was researching proactive cases
against children, the offenders could be identified earlier.
10:01:51 AM
Senator Thomas questioned the number of registered child sex
offenders or child kidnappers in Alaska. Detective Meredith
responded he did not know but suggested contacting the
Department of Public Safety. Ms. Monfreda replied that there
are 4200 registered sex offenders in Alaska.
10:03:04 AM
RON TIDLER, DETECTIVE, ANCHORAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
testified via teleconference, and supported this bill on
behalf of the Anchorage Police Department and the Alaska
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
10:03:41 AM
ANNE CARPENETI, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, LEGAL SERVICES
SECTION-JUNEAU, CRIMINAL DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, spoke
to the drafting of this law. She explained that it is not
necessary to put "knowingly" into the bill; it will be read
that way by the judge.
10:04:34 AM
Senator Olson questioned if this bill would apply to any one
who may be downloading sexual material.
Senator Wielechowski replied that the bill only applies to
convicted sex offenders.
Co-Chair Stedman referenced an earlier presentation on this
issue and noted the ability of the law enforcement arm to
monitor downloading and uploading of sexual material by
offenders. He reported that law enforcement has the
capability of pinpointing neighborhoods where the computer
resides. He stressed that the scope and magnitude of sex
offenders on the internet in Alaska is alarming.
10:06:49 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to REPORT SB 185 (STA) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
SB 185 (STA) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and accompanying new zero fiscal notes from
the Department of Corrections and the Department of
Administration and previously published fiscal notes from
the Department of Administration, Department of Law, and the
Department of Public Safety.
10:07:56 AM
CSHB 152(RES)
"An Act establishing a renewable energy project account
and a renewable energy fund and describing their uses
and purposes."
Co-Chair Stedman spoke to this first hearing of the bill. He
described the intent was to hear from the Bill's Sponsor and
take public testimony.
10:08:14 AM
Representative Bill Thomas presented an overview of the bill
that attempts to meet the energy needs throughout Alaska. He
declared that the high cost of fuel has made it difficult
for Alaska residents to make ends meet which has a direct
impact on Alaska's economy. He reported the renewable energy
options in Alaska are wind, geothermal, solar, tidal and
hydro. Many communities in Alaska have been researching
cleaner, more cost-effective energy sources but need funding
to help harness this energy. Representative Thomas
maintained that HB 152 will establish a renewable energy
fund, administrated by the Alaska Energy Authority, and an
advisory committee appointed by the Governor from various
utility, environmental, business, state and Native interest
groups. He described the fund as offering both loan and
grant options for applicants to give pursue valid renewable
energy source in their areas. Representative Thomas stated,
for the record, that twenty three House members and fifteen
members of the Senate support this bill.
Co-Chair Stedman referenced a request for a $300 million
endowment but questioned what other funding might be used to
capitalize this process.
10:12:35 AM
Representative Thomas remarked that when the bill started
last year, there was no initial plan for funding. He
informed the Committee that the Governor offered $250
million into a renewable energy plan and now the bill is
trying to move along because of the large Alaska surplus
this year. He noted that the $300 million, at seven percent,
would provide a $21 million per year fund to start many of
these projects and hopefully add additional monies over the
years. Senator Elton questioned on Page 4, line 1, which
refers "to be eligible for a grant it must be a hydro
electric facility." He questioned if "facility" covers
intertidal or just the hydroelectric project.
Representative Johnson believed this to include the
intertidal line where the communities need to be linked.
Senator Elton asked if this would be the same definition
under a loan component of the program.
10:15:18 AM
Senator Dyson questioned that since Alaska has some of the
largest coal deposits in America why was not coal included.
Representative Thomas replied that coal is not considered a
renewable energy. He reported that natural gas was allowed
because there is a place between Fairbanks and Canadian
border where there is no wind or tidal resources so the
natural gas pipeline gas will be allowed at the last
alternative.
Senator Dyson pressed that under this bill why could not
coal be used as the last alternative. Representative Thomas
replied that the bill was trying to deal with renewable
energy, not fossil fuel.
10:17:44 AM
Representative Thomas continued that when this bill was
being drafted three years ago, coal did not have a good
reputation compared to natural gas. He stressed that natural
gas would be allowed as it would be following the highway.
10:18:59 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked if the advisory committee on Page 5
was so that the Legislature could adjust the projects as
they saw fit.
10:19:24 AM
JOHN BITNEY, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HARRIS, disclosed
that the advisory committee was being formed to help set up
the methodology to rank and score projects after they have
been received by the Alaska Energy Authority. He stressed
that any funds for grants available would be subject to
appropriation.
Co-Chair Hoffman questioned that once submitted what would
be the role of the Legislature in reviewing or adjusting
that list. Mr. Bitney responded that the program would
operate like other programs that are ranked, scored,
evaluated and presented to the Legislature. He reiterated
that the advisory committee would give the Legislature
guidance.
10:21:07 AM
Co-Chair Stedman questioned if an endowment of $300 million
was created yielding approximately $15 million to be
expensed would this remove the Legislature entirely from the
process. Mr. Bitney responded that there is no intention to
remove the Legislature from the process since the funds are
subject to appropriation.
Co-Chair Stedman addressed a scenario where there would be
$15 million on the table with high expectation that the
Legislature would fund the projects submitted.
10:23:37 AM
Mr. Bitney responded that there are a large number of
projects and he sees an endowment of $15 million as not an
outstanding amount of money to get many projects working
since some can be expensive and large scale. He noted that,
if the Legislature chooses, it may want enlarge the annual
amount. Mr. Bitney thought it would be interesting which
projects will be up for the first go around and he
anticipated there would be a lot of them.
Co-Chair Stedman questioned if one of the projects alone was
budgeted at $500 million. Mr. Bitney agreed.
10:25:26 AM
Senator Elton responded that there is talk that the
Legislature has a lot of authority in granting these loans,
but in Section 2, it simply states that the authority and
consultation for the projects ride with the advisory
committee. He remarked that it seems to give the advisory
committee the power to make a loan or provide a grant
outside the Legislature. Mr. Bitney responded that he does
not see how to get around the appropriation authority of the
Legislature. Senator Elton asked if anything in this bill
relinquishes the authority of the Legislature. Mr. Bitney
responded that there are other funds that are an
appropriation given every year and the agency is giving
authority for those grants.
Senator Elton asked if the new director of the Alaska Energy
Agency is an employee of the Governor and if this bill needs
to accommodate that switch. Senator Elton advised it could
be awkward in potentially giving the authority to the
Governor.
Co-Chair Stedman asked that the agency return with comments
for Senator Elton's questions.
10:29:32 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman supported the concept but mentioned two
problems. He emphasized that there are viable projects that
need to proceed and it is important to respond to today's
oil prices by implementing these alternative energy projects
now. He wondered if that could be addressed and also
questioned where the agency envisioned receiving the money
to jump-start this fund and how large could it get.
10:30:56 AM
Mr. Bitney remarked that a memo was submitted requesting a
$300 million appropriation into the fund for the first year.
Co-Chair Hoffman raised this question because Senator
Murkowski mentioned an energy bill that passed the U.S.
Congress and wondered if there were funds attached to that
legislation. He pointed out that if there were a possibility
for matching funds from the federal government it could be
mentioned that Alaska was stepping up to the plate with this
appropriation.
Co-Chair Hoffman asked if the Agency should be pursuing and
funding existing projects first so Alaskans can see their
energy rates reduced much earlier and at a faster pace. Mr.
Bitney responded he would check with Senator Murkowski to
see if this new legislation in Congress will involve
matching federal funds. Mr. Bitney communicated that the
agency would like to see the existing projects met in this
year's capital budget process.
10:35:01 AM
Co-Chair Stedman pointed out that one issue today is the
high revenue stream. He emphasized that there are many
questions on the type and selection of renewable energy
resources. He stressed that the Legislature does not want to
select less beneficial choices to the citizens of the state
based on political pressure. He felt everyone would be
better served in concentrating on the process and policy and
not allocating several million to a particular area without
more study.
10:39:02 AM
CHRIS ROSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RENEWABLE ENERGY ALASKA
PROJECTS testified via teleconference and supported HB 152
with there many members throughout the state. He stressed
that it is impossible to be competitive in the world economy
without a stable source of energy. He believed when there
are no fossil fuels involved, stable prices occur. Mr. Rose
noted that this is also a local entity which can supply
local jobs. He concluded that the development of an advisory
energy authority would set up a process to start testing
these to get most viable projects.
10:42:29 AM
EARNEST WEISS, MAYOR, CITY OF KING COVE testified via
teleconference in support of the bill. He cited that King
Cove has, for more than ten years, one of the most prolific
run-of-the-river hydro electric facilities in the state that
provides more than half of the community's annual power
production. He noted that at twenty four cents a kilowatt
hour, King Cove had one of the lowest, single-site costs of
power among all the communities in Alaska. He asserted that
the community is looking forward to an even more advanced
facility for a stronger saving for its citizens.
10:45:41 AM
GARY HENNIGH, CITY ADMINISTRATOR, CITY OF KING COVE
testified via teleconference, and supported HB 152. He
reiterated that King Cove decided in the early 90s to build
this renewable energy river hydro project and it has proved
a smart choice. He noted that the methodology for
establishing the new loans and grants from the new fund
should focus on places like King Cove.
10:47:55 AM
PHIL STEYER, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, CHUGACH
ELECTRIC testified via teleconference in support of HB 152.
He would like to raise the ratio from ninety-three percent
of natural gas and seven percent hydroelectric to a higher
amount of hydroelectric.
AT EASE: 10:48:45 AM
RECONVENED: 10:49:04 AM
10:49:07 AM
SCOTT SALINE, REFRIGERATION CONTRACTOR, SITKA testified via
teleconference, and referred to Section 3, line 19, "provide
for renewable power production." He expounded on renewable
BTU production. He stressed that the more efficient method
is GO thermal exchange heating, using the heat of the ocean
or Yukon River to reject heat into people's home.
10:53:20 AM
BILL LEIGHTY, DIRECTOR, THE LEIGHTY FOUNDATION, supported
the bill. He noted that anything achieved in Alaska will
have great demonstration value within the state and to the
world.
RECESSED: 10:55:25 AM
RECONVENED: 4:55:44 PM
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:56 PM
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