Legislature(2021 - 2022)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/03/2021 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

Note: the audio and video recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.

Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

Audio Topic
09:01:39 AM Start
09:03:05 AM Village Safe Water – Funding History, Projected Need, and Fy22 Proposal
10:15:43 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ - Village Safe Water - Funding History, Projected TELECONFERENCED
Need, & FY22 Proposal
+ - EO 119 Follow Up TELECONFERENCED
<Above Item Removed from Agenda>
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                       March 3, 2021                                                                                            
                         9:01 a.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:01:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop called the  Senate Finance Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 9:01 a.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Click Bishop, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                           
Senator Donny Olson (via teleconference)                                                                                        
Senator Bill Wielechowski                                                                                                       
Senator David Wilson                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Natasha von Imhof                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ruth  Kostik, Administrative  Services Director,  Department                                                                    
of  Environmental  Conservation,  Office of  Management  and                                                                    
Budget,  Office of  the Governor;  Carrie Bohan,  Facilities                                                                    
Services  Program   Manager,  Department   of  Environmental                                                                    
Conservation; Randy Bates, Director  of Water, Department of                                                                    
Environmental Conservation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
VILLAGE SAFE  WATER   FUNDING  HISTORY, PROJECTED  NEED, AND                                                                    
FY22 PROPOSAL                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
^VILLAGE SAFE  WATER   FUNDING HISTORY,  PROJECTED NEED, AND                                                                  
FY22 PROPOSAL                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:03:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  discussed  the  agenda.  He  referenced  a                                                                    
spreadsheet  entitled "Village  Safe  Water Funded  Projects                                                                    
2011-2021" (copy on file).                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:04:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RUTH  KOSTIK, ADMINISTRATIVE  SERVICES DIRECTOR,  DEPARTMENT                                                                    
OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  OFFICE OF  MANAGEMENT  AND                                                                    
BUDGET,  OFFICE   OF  THE  GOVERNOR   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
explained that  the presentation focused on  the program and                                                                    
its budget and funding history.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:05:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CARRIE   BOHAN,   FACILITIES   SERVICES   PROGRAM   MANAGER,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT     OF     ENVIRONMENTAL    CONSERVATION     (via                                                                    
teleconference),    discussed   a    presentation   entitled                                                                    
"Department of  Environmental Conservation -  Senate Finance                                                                    
Committee - February 26, 2021" (copy on file).                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bohan turned to slide 2, "Village Safe Water":                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Village Safe Water's mission is to support rural                                                                           
     communities in their efforts to develop sustainable                                                                        
     sanitation facilities                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          Communities with a population less than 1,000 per                                                                     
             AS 47.07.080                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     We accomplish this mission by:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          Funding planning, design, and construction of                                                                         
        water, wastewater, and solid waste projects                                                                             
          Providing project management and oversight for                                                                        
           grant funded projects                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:06:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bohan  showed slide  3,  "Village  Safe Water:  Project                                                                    
Assessment":                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Project grant applications are scored primarily on how                                                                     
     they address critical public health needs and capacity                                                                     
     to operate and maintain facilities                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          Current level of service                                                                                              
          Beneficial health impact provided by the project                                                                      
          Relationship to other project phases                                                                                  
          Operation, maintenance, and management                                                                                
          capabilities                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     High scoring projects added to the Multi-Year Priority                                                                     
     List                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bohan expounded  that by  placing  the highest  scoring                                                                    
projects on  the multi-year priority list  the Department of                                                                    
Environmental  Conservation  (DEC)  could fund  portions  of                                                                    
multiple  projects   each  year  and  commit   to  providing                                                                    
additional  funding   as  needed  in  subsequent   years  to                                                                    
completion.  The  multi-year  priority  list  gave  DEC  the                                                                    
flexibility  to  affect  more   projects  each  year  versus                                                                    
completely funding one or two projects.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:08:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  inquired  about emergency  situations.  He                                                                    
discussed  the  community  of Tuluksak,  where  the  village                                                                    
water  utility burned  down. He  relayed that  the community                                                                    
received  very   little  assistance   from  the   state  and                                                                    
developed  a   multi-party  solution  between   the  federal                                                                    
government and  others. He asked  if the Village  Safe Water                                                                    
(VSW) Program had provisions to  address a complete collapse                                                                    
of water  systems such as  in Tuluksak and inquired  how the                                                                    
state  could   be  better  prepared  to   address  emergency                                                                    
situations.  Ms.  Bohan  answered   that  the  situation  in                                                                    
Tuluksak  was  unusual.  She  reported  that  DEC  had  been                                                                    
supporting the  community of Tuluksak primarily  through the                                                                    
Remote Maintenance  Worker program.  She explained  that DEC                                                                    
partnered  with  the   Yukon  Kuskokwim  Health  Corporation                                                                    
(YKHC)  and provided  annual grant  funds to  provide onsite                                                                    
assistance   to  rural   wastewater   operators  and   first                                                                    
responders that  dealt with  sanitation systems.  The remote                                                                    
workers from the health corporation  were the first on sight                                                                    
to assess the situation.  She maintained that the department                                                                    
had  been working  with YKHC  to find  funding sources.  She                                                                    
indicated  that while  VSW  did not  have  the resources  to                                                                    
address  an   emergency,  the  program  was   involved  with                                                                    
entities   like  Indian   Health  Service   (IHS)  and   the                                                                    
Environmental Protection  Agency (EPA) to identify  long and                                                                    
short  term funding  sources and  would directly  manage the                                                                    
project to rebuild the plant.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:12:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  shared that  he had  numerous conversations                                                                    
with the  president and CEO  of the YKHC, who  had initiated                                                                    
the  Remote Maintenance  Workers project  in the  region. He                                                                    
asserted that there needed to  be a better solution from the                                                                    
state. The  village was out  of water for several  weeks. He                                                                    
thought it was an unacceptable  situation and noted that the                                                                    
emergency declaration  was declared late in  the process. He                                                                    
believed that the  people of Tuluksak were put  at a greater                                                                    
risk  due to  COVID. He  hoped that  the Village  Safe Water                                                                    
Program  would develop  a better  solution for  dealing with                                                                    
emergencies  and   bring  it   to  the   administration  and                                                                    
legislature.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:14:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop commented that the  committee wanted to hear                                                                    
about the emergency reaction plan once it was developed.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:14:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bohan  spoke to  slide 4,  "Village Safe  Water: Average                                                                    
Project":                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Cost to provide running water and sewer to individual                                                                      
     homes in a village for the first time                                                                                      
          $350 - $750 thousand per/home                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Projects typically last 5-10 years to completion,                                                                          
     depending on                                                                                                               
          Size and complexity of the project                                                                                    
          Availability of funds                                                                                                 
          Ability of community to meet ongoing construction                                                                     
          funding conditions                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bohan  detailed  that  the  VSW  funded  a  variety  of                                                                    
projects such as  developing a new water  source, building a                                                                    
new water  storage tank, constructing  a sewage  lagoon, and                                                                    
replacing deteriorating water lines.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:16:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  asked if the  example project on  the slide                                                                    
represented  a typical  piped water  system  from a  central                                                                    
supply.  Ms. Bohan  answered  in  the affirmative.  Co-Chair                                                                    
Bishop asked  if the  program worked  with the  Cold Climate                                                                    
Housing  Research  Program  at   the  University  of  Alaska                                                                    
Fairbanks  (UAF). He  shared  that the  program  was on  the                                                                    
 cutting edge  of renewable systems  that were able to lower                                                                    
costs. Ms. Bohan relayed that  the program collaborated with                                                                    
a variety of partners on  innovation. She was unaware of any                                                                    
efforts of collaborating with the  cold climate program. Ms.                                                                    
Kostik would be touching on  the topic of innovative efforts                                                                    
to embrace  newer technologies. She mentioned  the challenge                                                                    
of  not placing  the community  in the  position of  being a                                                                    
test  case for  a new  technology  and opted  for long  term                                                                    
successful solutions.  Co-Chair Bishop  advised that  it was                                                                    
important  to work  closely with  communities to  right-size                                                                    
the system for the size of the community.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:18:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bohan  discussed slide 5,  "Village Safe  Water: Typical                                                                    
Project Timeline," which  showed a flow chart  of the timing                                                                    
a typical project. She described  the process. She indicated                                                                    
that each spring VSW accepted  applications for new planning                                                                    
projects, evaluated  the projects and awarded  the grants by                                                                    
the following  fall. The planning  project typically  took 9                                                                    
to 12 months  to complete and put the project  in its second                                                                    
year. She furthered  that in year 3 the  project applied for                                                                    
design  and construction  funding  that was  awarded by  the                                                                    
fall of the  third year. She reiterated  that projects would                                                                    
be  put on  the  multi-year priority  list.  She noted  that                                                                    
design  could  take one  to  two  years depending  upon  the                                                                    
complexity of the system. The  design completion allowed for                                                                    
a complete  understanding of the construction  funding need.                                                                    
By the spring  of year 5 construction funding  was awarded a                                                                    
year at a time and  construction was completed within two to                                                                    
three years; construction was completed by years 6 or 7.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:21:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  noted  that  the lead  agencies  were  the                                                                    
Alaska Native  Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC)  and VSW. He                                                                    
asked  how  the  projects  were   divided  between  the  two                                                                    
agencies  and whether  ANTHC  followed  that same  projected                                                                    
timeline as depicted on slide  5. Ms. Bohan replied that all                                                                    
the  communities were  assigned support  from either  VSW or                                                                    
ANTHC based on a traditional  level of service. The goal was                                                                    
to  offer  equivalent  service   regardless  of  the  agency                                                                    
involved. The timelines were the same.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  asked  how  long  VSW  kept  final  design                                                                    
documents  in  its  archives.  He  referenced  Tuluksak  and                                                                    
deduced that  if the original  water system plans  were kept                                                                    
the replacement  work could resume  very quickly.  Ms. Bohan                                                                    
agreed  with  the  statement. She  qualified  that  VSW  had                                                                    
operated for  40 years,  and she could  not ensure  that all                                                                    
records were  readily accessible. She relayed  that Tuluksak                                                                    
had already been considering a  new water treatment plant. A                                                                    
new set of  wells had been drilled and there  was a planning                                                                    
document drafted  in 2018, that  had been considered  by the                                                                    
various funding agencies  as a future project.  The plan was                                                                    
to  rebuild the  washeteria in  a new  location with  better                                                                    
construction,  which called  for  a new  plan. However,  VSW                                                                    
would  evaluate  each  circumstance  on  its  own  merit  on                                                                    
whether  to start  from  scratch or  pick  up with  existing                                                                    
documents.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:24:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bohan referenced  slide 6, "Village Safe  Water: FY 2021                                                                    
by the Numbers:"                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Planning Projects                                                                                                          
          $1.9 million funding made available                                                                                   
          19 studies for 19 communities                                                                                         
          Project range: $25,000 -$240,000                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Construction Projects                                                                                                      
          $62.5 million funding made available                                                                                  
          19 ongoing construction projects and 13 new                                                                           
             construction projects                                                                                              
          Project range: $300,000 - $9.3 million                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     IHS & EPA Tribal Construction Projects                                                                                     
          $48 million funding made available                                                                                    
          35 construction projects                                                                                              
          Project range: $65,000-$7.1 million                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bohan explained  that  the slide  data  was taken  from                                                                    
 real life  examples  and were  the numbers for  the current                                                                    
fiscal year.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:26:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  asked if  the type  of funding  impacted the                                                                    
timeline.  Ms.  Bohan  responded  in  the  affirmative.  She                                                                    
offered that  VSW accepted applications  in the  spring that                                                                    
allowed for  grant funding distribution  in the fall  of the                                                                    
same year.  Projects under the  IHS or EPA were  referred to                                                                    
as  the  Sanitation Deficiency  System  (SDS)  and were  not                                                                    
funded until the  following spring so there  was a six-month                                                                    
difference in  the timing of  when the funds  were available                                                                    
for  SDS projects.  She pointed  out that  VSW was  involved                                                                    
with IHS and EPA in awarding SDS grants.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:28:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  asked  if the  state  provided  additional                                                                    
funding for the  25 percent match for  federal dollars would                                                                    
the state  be available  to procure  more federal  money. He                                                                    
shared that the  federal COVID bill was passed  by the House                                                                    
of Representatives  and contained $1.4 billion  for projects                                                                    
for Alaska and  in addition $600 to $800  billion was slated                                                                    
for local and state governments.  He wondered if VSW had any                                                                    
involvement in  forwarding the needs  of Alaska for  some of                                                                    
the  COVID funding  for water  systems.  He emphasized  that                                                                    
water  systems were  a critical  need in  the fight  against                                                                    
COVID.  Ms.  Bohan  replied that  presently  the  state  was                                                                    
providing matching  funds for  all available  federal funds,                                                                    
and  additional  state match  would  not  make more  federal                                                                    
funds  available.   She  explained  that   regarding  future                                                                    
funding  opportunities, VSW  worked  with IHS  and ANTHC  to                                                                    
maintain the  IHSs  SDS  data base.  She explained  that all                                                                    
known sanitation  needs were listed  in the data  base along                                                                    
with  possible solutions  and  cost  estimates. She  relayed                                                                    
that Ms.  Kostik would  be addressing  the topic  in greater                                                                    
detail shortly. She mentioned that  the data was shared with                                                                    
the  states  federal  delegation.  She  remembered that  the                                                                    
amount of $1.3 billion was  calculated in the prior year for                                                                    
the overall sanitation improvements in the state.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:32:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  clarified that  he  was  not referring  to                                                                    
prior COVID  funding but was  citing the amount of  the next                                                                    
round of COVID  funding slated for Alaska,  tribal and local                                                                    
governments.  Ms.   Kostik  deferred   the  answer   to  her                                                                    
colleague concerning discussions  with the Alaska delegation                                                                    
and what was in the bill for Alaskas sanitation needs.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
RANDY BATES, DIRECTOR OF  WATER, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL                                                                    
CONSERVATION   (via   teleconference),  replied   that   the                                                                    
department   had  been   working   with  the   congressional                                                                    
delegation  and that  Ms. Bohans   answer had  been correct.                                                                    
The department relayed the SDS  list containing projects for                                                                    
new service and repairs in  the amount of approximately $1.4                                                                    
billion. The funding would be  new money for new projects in                                                                    
the state and not from  the pipeline of original funding for                                                                    
VSW the state received each year.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:35:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  asked about the  $1.4 billion  submitted to                                                                    
the delegation.  He wondered  if it was  a complete  list of                                                                    
the need in  the state. Ms. Bohan responded  that the amount                                                                    
signified  the  complete  list of  projects  that  had  been                                                                    
identified in the  spring of the prior  year. She delineated                                                                    
that  it included  fully  piping   all unserved  communities                                                                    
and  repair  and  replacement of  existing  systems  in  all                                                                    
communities where need had  been identified. Co-Chair Bishop                                                                    
referenced  another  infrastructure  funding bill  that  was                                                                    
under  consideration  in  Congress  and thought  it  was  an                                                                    
additional opportunity for funding sanitation projects.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:36:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson asked  if the  department  could comment  on                                                                    
how  projects  had  been impacted  by  COVID-19.  Ms.  Bohan                                                                    
answered  that  she  would  provide  the  list  of  projects                                                                    
impacted by COVID and could  not currently provide a figure.                                                                    
She shared  that most  projects had been  delayed up  to the                                                                    
entirety  of  the  prior  summer.  She  indicated  that  the                                                                    
primary concern had been  introducing COVID into communities                                                                    
via  the construction  crews. She  discussed the  very short                                                                    
construction  season  in  the state  and  the  challenge  of                                                                    
safely  administering projects  within  the short  timeline.                                                                    
There were  potential financial impacts to  projects because                                                                    
of the  wider-spread COVID-19 impacts and  the COVID related                                                                    
delays  in  manufacturing   and  shipping.  She  anticipated                                                                    
moving  forward  as  close  to normal  as  possible  in  the                                                                    
upcoming season.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:39:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bohan   looked  at  slide   7,  "Village   Safe  Water:                                                                    
Supporting Rural Sanitation:"                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Work with partners to support communities in their                                                                         
     efforts to build technical, financial, and managerial                                                                      
     capacity                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Provide water and wastewater system operator training                                                                      
     and certification                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Remote Maintenance Workers                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          Funded through federal grants from EPA and USDA                                                                       
             and associated state match in the operating                                                                        
             budget                                                                                                             
          15 Remote Maintenance Workers at DEC and regional                                                                     
             health corporation provide onsite training and                                                                     
             technical assistance                                                                                               
          Emergency response and support                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Village Safe Water does not provide funding for                                                                            
     ongoing maintenance and operations of systems                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:41:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  asked if the  number of  remote maintenance                                                                    
workers was adequate.  He explained that the  area served by                                                                    
YKHC was larger  than the State of Washington  and served 56                                                                    
villages  with  a large  population  of  rural Alaskans.  He                                                                    
noted the  example of  only 10 remote  workers in  the Yukon                                                                    
Kuskokwim area.  Ms. Bohan replied that  VSW did continually                                                                    
monitor the adequacy of the  number of remote workers in the                                                                    
various regions  and would  adjust resources  accordingly if                                                                    
warranted. She  explained that based on  DECs  understanding                                                                    
and  feedback  from  the  communities,  VSW  felt  that  the                                                                    
current level  of service was appropriate.  She acknowledged                                                                    
that there  were regions  with different  circumstances. She                                                                    
elucidated  that  in  Southeast and  Southcentral  Alaska  a                                                                    
remote  maintenance worker  could  provide  service to  more                                                                    
communities  versus in  communities  with  higher needs.  In                                                                    
higher  need areas  each  remote worker  was  assigned to  a                                                                    
smaller  number  of  communities  to  ensure  the  level  of                                                                    
service  was  met.  She  felt   the  level  of  service  was                                                                    
sufficient. Senator Hoffman wondered if  he asked the CEO of                                                                    
YKHC  or  any  other  native corporations  in  his  district                                                                    
whether  he would  get the  same response.  Ms. Bohan  hoped                                                                    
that the same  response would be given.  She reiterated that                                                                    
VSW stayed in close  communication with the communities. She                                                                    
offered that  the corporations applied  to VSW each  year to                                                                    
request funding  and could identify the  need for additional                                                                    
staffing. She  informed the committee  that she  had managed                                                                    
the Remote  Maintenance Worker program  for 8 years  and she                                                                    
had increased the number of  workers in the Norton Sound and                                                                    
Yukon Kuskokwim  regions by one  worker in each  region. She                                                                    
recounted that  VSW engaged  in conversations  regarding the                                                                    
number  of remote  workers each  year. She  voiced that  VSW                                                                    
would be happy  to engage in discussions  regarding the need                                                                    
for more remote workers in the coming spring.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:44:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop   referenced  operator   certification  and                                                                    
training and asked  how the activities had  been affected by                                                                    
COVID-19.  Ms. Bohan  responded  that VSW  did not  directly                                                                    
offer    training   but    facilitated   finding    training                                                                    
opportunities.  She indicated  that  most service  providers                                                                    
moved  to online  training. She  had  initially doubted  the                                                                    
success of  online training  but had  been surprised  by the                                                                    
creative  approach.  She  used  the  example  of  continuing                                                                    
education  requirements. She  noted  that  there were  fewer                                                                    
operators that  had lapsed  their certification  renewal due                                                                    
to  lack  of  continuing education  units.  Co-Chair  Bishop                                                                    
surmised that individuals were still  able to get certified.                                                                    
Ms. Bohan responded in the affirmative.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:47:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik  addressed slide 8,  "Village Safe  Water: FY2022                                                                    
Gov Amend Request (in thousands):"                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     $70,812.0 FY2022 Governor's Amended                                                                                        
          $52,250.0 Fed                                                                                                         
          $18,062.0 AHFC Bonds (match)                                                                                          
          $500.0 SDPR                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     First Time Service                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Expansion, Upgrade, and Replacement of Existing                                                                            
     Service                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Gov Amend is an increase of $2,332.0 of match due to                                                                       
     increased federal support                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Kostik noted  that the  increase  was a  result of  the                                                                    
federal funding that  passed in late December,  which was an                                                                    
increase  of $7  million  from  FY 2021  from  the EPA.  She                                                                    
reminded the  committee that the VSW  match was appropriated                                                                    
from  the Alaska  Housing  Finance  Corporation (AHFC)  bond                                                                    
proceeds. There  was a bill  moving through  the legislature                                                                    
regarding the transaction [SB 54/HB  74 - AHFC Water & Sewer                                                                    
Bonds/Transportation].   She   detailed   that   there   was                                                                    
sufficient federal authority to  accept the $52.250 million.                                                                    
The  money would  be spent  over  several years  due to  the                                                                    
timeline of  projects. There were  only two  allocations for                                                                    
VSW as listed on the slide.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:49:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson looked  at the  projects on  the spreadsheet                                                                    
and  considered the  lifetime of  equipment  that was  being                                                                    
upgraded.  He pointed  to  a project  that  had received  an                                                                    
upgrade  and  8  years  later   received  a  complete  water                                                                    
overhaul  and two  years later  received another  upgrade to                                                                    
the same plant. He wondered  whether they were expansions or                                                                    
maintenance  issues.  Ms. Bohan  thought  there  might be  a                                                                    
couple of factors to consider  when looking at the list. She                                                                    
discussed  that the  way VSW  worked through  the multi-year                                                                    
priority list was  to award new grants each year  to fund an                                                                    
ongoing  construction  project.  She guessed  that  what  he                                                                    
referenced  was  ongoing  supplemental funding  for  ongoing                                                                    
repair or  replacement for a  particular project.  She noted                                                                    
that  the  titles  of projects  were  generic,  and  Senator                                                                    
Wilson  might be  looking at  two similarly  titled projects                                                                    
for  different portions  for the  same community  for things                                                                    
like    replacing    distribution   lines    in    different                                                                    
subdivisions. She  explained that generally  the expectation                                                                    
of  the  lifetime  of  sanitation  infrastructure  in  rural                                                                    
communities was 40 years.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:51:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  requested  the number  of  projects  being                                                                    
funded with  the $70  million listed on  slide 8.  Ms. Bohan                                                                    
did not  have a definitive  list of the projects  that might                                                                    
be funded. Co-Chair Bishop asked  if the funding approved in                                                                    
the  current year  would not  be available  until 2022.  Ms.                                                                    
Bohan specified that  the funding would be  available in the                                                                    
fall of 2021.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:52:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson discussed lifespans  of water systems existing                                                                    
prior   to  VSWs    existence.  He   cited  issues   in  the                                                                    
communities of  Selawik and Unalakleet, in  his district. He                                                                    
asked what kind  of programs were available  to mitigate the                                                                    
issues.  Ms.  Bohan  thought the  examples  of  Selawik  and                                                                    
Unalakleet were  different. The  freeze-ups in  Selawik were                                                                    
due  to  power outages,  and  not  directly related  to  the                                                                    
wastewater utility itself.  She acknowledged that Unalakleet                                                                    
was one  of the first  systems built  and one of  the oldest                                                                    
distribution systems.  The department was looking  into long                                                                    
term  solutions, had  already  developed a  plan  and had  a                                                                    
replacement  cost estimate  for  replacing the  distribution                                                                    
system. She relayed that the  project was a multi-year plan.                                                                    
The  community was  currently positioned  to pursue  funding                                                                    
due to  its collaboration with VSW.  The short-term solution                                                                    
was more challenging and was under discussion                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:55:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  was concerned that  with low  water pressure,                                                                    
lack  of   potable  water,  and  increased   risk  of  pipes                                                                    
freezing. He  thought the immediate need  was more important                                                                    
to consider in  the short term and the long  term would take                                                                    
care of itself.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop relayed that VSW heard his concerns.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:56:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik reviewed  slide 9, " Village Safe  Water: FY 2021                                                                    
Supplemental Request (in thousands):"                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     $3,650.0 GF Match                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     First Time Service                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Expansion, Upgrade, and Replacement of Existing                                                                            
     Service                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Due to increased federal support                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik  noted that there  was a higher level  of funding                                                                    
from  the EPA.  She remarked  that the  federal funding  was                                                                    
approved very  late in the  states  budget cycle and  had to                                                                    
be  included in  the supplemental  request. Co-Chair  Bishop                                                                    
deduced that  there were 13  projects for FY 2021.  He asked                                                                    
if the project list would  grow due to the supplemental. Ms.                                                                    
Kostik relayed that funding was  allocated for FY 2021 based                                                                    
on the  full amount  of the federal  awards and  operated on                                                                    
the assumption that if the  department needed to borrow from                                                                    
FY 2021  to push match  back to the  prior year it  would do                                                                    
it. There  would be no  additional projects with  the match;                                                                    
the funds made the funding whole.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:58:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik presented slide 10,  "Village Safe Water: Funding                                                                    
Sources," which showed  a flow chart of  funding sources and                                                                    
the  corresponding  allocations.  She  delineated  that  the                                                                    
chart gave  the full  scope of  funding sources  that flowed                                                                    
into the VSW program. She  pointed to the left that depicted                                                                    
the  state match,  USDA Rural  Development funding,  and the                                                                    
EPA Infrastructure grants that  flow through the traditional                                                                    
funding  route through  the  multi-year  priority list.  She                                                                    
pointed to  the SDS list  on the middle right  and explained                                                                    
that  the funding  flowed through  from IHS  and EPA  tribal                                                                    
Safe Drinking Water Act and the  Clean Water Act. On the far                                                                    
right there  was one  more pot of  funding from  IHS Housing                                                                    
Priority System  (HPS) system.  She noted  that SDS  and HPS                                                                    
did not  require state  matching funds.  She noted  that the                                                                    
colors on the  fund sources would match  the chart depicting                                                                    
the funding history on the next slide.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:00:03 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  asked if the Denali  Commission had provided                                                                    
funding for  VSW in the  past. Ms. Bohan explained  that the                                                                    
Denali Commission had not directly  provided funding to VSW,                                                                    
but it  was presently  a partner in  the funding  source for                                                                    
SDS  as part  of  IHS  money in  the  amount  of roughly  $2                                                                    
million.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:01:12 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  recalled that the committee  considered the                                                                    
Major  Maintenance List  two  weeks  previously and  noticed                                                                    
that several  schools had broken water  systems. He wondered                                                                    
whether  a community  could  apply  to VSW  on  behalf of  a                                                                    
school.  Ms.  Bohan answered  that  generally  a project  to                                                                    
support  just a  school was  not eligible  for VSW  funding.                                                                    
However, serving  a school as  part of a larger  project was                                                                    
possible.  She  added  that  often it  was  critical  for  a                                                                    
project to include a school  because it became a significant                                                                    
financial contributor  that made  the system  affordable for                                                                    
the community.  There were communities in  which schools had                                                                    
its own independent  water system and would  not be eligible                                                                    
for VSW  assistance. Senator Hoffman understood  that it was                                                                    
advantageous  for a  school to  be part  of the  community's                                                                    
water system. Ms. Bohan answered in the affirmative.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:03:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik displayed slide 11,  "Village Safe Water: Funding                                                                    
History,"  which showed  a bar  graph entitled   Funding for                                                                    
Rural Water and Sewer Improvements  SFY2017 - 2021.  The bar                                                                    
graph showed a five-year  funding history. She detailed that                                                                    
the  state match  was  depicted in  green,  EPA funding  was                                                                    
shown in  gold, and  USDA-RD was  designated in  purple; the                                                                    
federal funding  required a state  match. The IHS  money was                                                                    
represented in  blue, and the  EPA Tribal funding  was shown                                                                    
in  brown; both  funding  sources did  not  require a  state                                                                    
match.  She  pointed  out  that   the  federal  dollars  had                                                                    
increased significantly in recent years.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop observed  that  the IHS  brought  a lot  of                                                                    
resources to the state.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:04:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Kostik  spoke to  slide  12,  "Rural Alaska  Sanitation                                                                    
Funding  Need,"  which  showed a  pie  chart  titled   Rural                                                                    
Alaska Sanitation  Funding Need  = $1,821,446,807.   The pie                                                                    
chart depicted the total SDS  funding need. The blue portion                                                                    
[68  percent] encompassed  all first  time service  projects                                                                    
and  reflected   the  traditional  piped   systems  totaling                                                                    
roughly $1.2 billion.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop deduced that 68  percent of rural Alaska did                                                                    
not have any sanitation service.  He wondered whether he was                                                                    
correct. Ms. Kostik responded in  the negative. She reported                                                                    
that   DEC   had   a   performance   measure   that   showed                                                                    
approximately  98 percent  service.  The cost  was so  large                                                                    
because the remaining communities  were the most challenging                                                                    
to   serve  due   to   things   like  location,   logistics,                                                                    
permafrost,  etc. Co-Chair  Bishop believed  that the  slide                                                                    
was  misleading. Ms.  Kostik clarified  that  the pie  chart                                                                    
reflected only the cost of unserved homes.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:06:58 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  thought  the   number  on  the  slide  was                                                                    
 daunting.  He asked  if all the requests  for projects fell                                                                    
under AS 47.07.080  that specified a population  size of one                                                                    
thousand and  under. He  asked whether there  was a  list of                                                                    
projects  for communities  over one  thousand residents.  He                                                                    
referred  to the  spreadsheet list  on page  8 for  2020. He                                                                    
cited  a project  for the  community of  Kotzebue and  noted                                                                    
that its population was over one thousand.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bohan  explained that Kotzebue and  Bethel were eligible                                                                    
for VSW  by their designations  as second class  cities. She                                                                    
related that  currently Kotzebue received funding  for a new                                                                    
water  treatment plant  in the  amount of  $27 million.  She                                                                    
informed the  committee that for  the communities  that fell                                                                    
outside  of VSW  eligibility, DEC  had a  low interest  long                                                                    
term revolving loan program.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:09:16 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Kostik  addressed  slide  13,  "Alaska  Water  &  Sewer                                                                    
Challenge Project":                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Conventional  systems   are  expensive   to  construct,                                                                    
     maintain and replace                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Many communities  cannot afford the high  operation and                                                                    
     maintenance costs.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Available funding  is not  adequate to  serve remaining                                                                    
     homes and make needed improvements                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Innovative  approaches  are  needed to  address  health                                                                    
     problems  associated   with  water  and   sewer  system                                                                    
     deficiencies                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Focus on decentralized  systems that provide treatment,                                                                    
     recycling, and water minimization                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Pilot testing at UAA delayed  due to COVID, anticipated                                                                    
     to begin in fall 2021                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kostik elaborated  that in 2013 DEC  launched the Alaska                                                                    
Water  & Sewer  Challenge Project  that was  a research  and                                                                    
development project  to try to  build a better  water system                                                                    
for single homes that was  self-contained. The goals were to                                                                    
keep  the cost  to  $160  thousand per  home  and be  easily                                                                    
maintained. She noted  that DEC was working with  the EPA to                                                                    
set the  standards for the  recycled water. The  project was                                                                    
in phase  5 with one  model and  testing in a  community was                                                                    
slated  to happen  after the  standards were  developed. She                                                                    
commented that  community involvement  would be  critical to                                                                    
the project.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:12:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman   asked  if  there  were   any  communities                                                                    
remaining  on the honey bucket  system  presently. Ms. Bohan                                                                    
relayed that  there were currently 32  communities listed as                                                                    
unserved. She noted that two  of the communities were slated                                                                    
for service and had received  funding. She believed that the                                                                    
remaining communities presented  a significant challenge for                                                                    
receiving service.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman wanted  to thank all the  people that worked                                                                    
at the  VSW Program. He  communicated that when  a community                                                                    
received  service  it  was a  life  changing  situation.  He                                                                    
thought many people in the  state did not realize the luxury                                                                    
of  having  in-home  water  and  sewer.  He  emphasized  the                                                                    
importance of  the program  and reiterated  his appreciation                                                                    
of the work of VSW.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop echoed Senator Hoffman sentiments.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop discussed the agenda for the following day.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:15:43 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 a.m.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
022621 VSW Funded Projects 2011-2021.pdf SFIN 2/26/2021 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 3/3/2021 9:00:00 AM
Village Safe Water Program
022621 SFIN DEC VSW Overview.pdf SFIN 2/26/2021 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 3/3/2021 9:00:00 AM
Village Safe Water Program
030321 DEC Response to SFIN VSW Overview 03.03.2021.pdf SFIN 3/3/2021 9:00:00 AM
Village Safe Water Program