Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/12/2019 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB54 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 54 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 12, 2019
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Shelley Hughes, Chair
Senator Mike Shower, Vice Chair
Senator David Wilson
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Jesse Kiehl
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 54
"An Act approving the transfer of certain Alaska Railroad
Corporation land; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 54
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA RAILROAD CORP. LAND TRANSFERS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COGHILL
02/13/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/13/19 (S) TRA, FIN
03/12/19 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
RYNNIEVA MOSS, Staff
Senator John Coghill
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 54 on behalf of the sponsor.
JON COOK, Chair
Board of Directors
Alaska Railroad Corporation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 54.
PETER GRUNWALDT, Owner
Alaska Tourism Development, LLC
Premier Alaska Tours, Inc.
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 54.
ANDY BEHREND, Chief Counsel
Alaska Railroad Corporation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 54.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:31:13 PM
CHAIR SHELLEY HUGHES called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Wilson, Micciche, Kiehl, and Chair Hughes.
Senator Shower joined shortly thereafter.
SB 54-ALASKA RAILROAD CORP. LAND TRANSFERS
1:31:33 PM
CHAIR HUGHES announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 54
"An Act approving the transfer of certain Alaska Railroad
Corporation land; and providing for an effective date."
1:31:54 PM
RYNNIEVA MOSS, Staff, Senator John Coghill, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, stated that in 2017, Senator
Coghill introduced SB 86 that originally would have allowed the
Alaska Railroad Corporation to sell property without permission
from the legislature. That is in statute. The [Senate] approved
a version of the bill that had a pilot program to allow the
railroad to do this for three years and then report to the
legislature on their actions to see if they could have a
permanent exemption from that approval. SB 86 died in the House
Labor and Commerce Committee, but the Senate and House Finance
Committees felt it was important to put more land in private
ownership and allow economic development. They both had a
committee substitute in the last days of the session that
included five specific land sales that the Alaska Railroad
Corporation Board of Directors had approved. Private entities
also asked to be allowed to negotiate with the railroad on two
potential land sales. Those were a nonprofit housing corporation
and Lynden Transport.
MS. MOSS said in doing all of that the last two days of the
session, she used the wrong acreage for the Otto Lake property.
She was under the impression that they were going to sell the
existing lease, but they were selling the whole plot, which left
about 18 acres unaccounted for in the approval by the
legislature. SB 54 merely gives legislative approval for the 18
acres that were missed in HB 119.
MS. MOSS noted that the committee packets had the annual
railroad report to the House and Senate Resources Committees
required by HB 119. The report has a brief update on the land
sales the railroad is involved in.
1:34:51 PM
SENATOR KIEHL clarified that this did not involve land the
railroad ran on. He asked if it is railroad reserve land.
MS. MOSS answered yes; this is railroad reserve land that is not
necessary for operations, as required by statute.
1:35:17 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE clarified that the legislation is about Parcel
B depicted on the map in the committee packets.
MS. MOSS agreed.
1:36:02 PM
JON COOK, Chair, Board of Directors, Alaska Railroad
Corporation, Anchorage, stated that as Ms. Moss explained, this
bill just cleans up a transaction that was approved by the board
and legislature. It was a late session error. Construction will
begin in 2019 of a large hotel complex in the Otto Lake area in
Healy. He hoped it will be done in an expedited manner because
as the old construction saying goes, one day in May is worth
three in October.
1:37:33 PM
PETER GRUNWALDT, Owner, Alaska Tourism Development, LLC, Premier
Alaska Tours, Inc., Anchorage, said they are working with
architects to develop drawings for a motor coach maintenance
facility, a boat house, conference center, and a 300-room hotel.
They had proceeded with the sale purchase with the Alaska
railroad last year for 47 acres. At the end of the session they
got 26 acres instead of 47 because of a clerical error. They are
looking to start building a maintenance facility in May. That
sits on the adjacent 17 acres that have not been transferred
over yet. Anything that would permit that would be helpful.
1:39:53 PM
At ease
1:40:32 PM
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on SB 54,
1:41:54 PM
ANDY BEHREND, Chief Counsel, Alaska Railroad Corporation,
Anchorage, said SB 54 was strictly to correct an inadvertent
error. The board had approved the sale of the full area.
1:42:23 PM
CHAIR HUGHES closed public testimony.
1:42:41 PM
SENATOR SHOWER said that in Finance that morning the committee
discussed something involving AIDEA [Alaska Industrial
Development and Export Authority] and the Denali south
campground. He asked if this was that area.
MS. MOSS replied no, that is on the south side of Denali. Otto
Lake is on the north side near Healy.
1:43:23 PM
CHAIR HUGHES held SB 54 in committee.
1:43:34 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Hughes adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee at 1:43 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| STRA Agenda 3.12.19.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM |
|
| SB 54 - Version M.PDF |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB 54 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB 54 - Fiscal Note DCCED.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB 54 - Language from HB 119 Land Transfer Authority from 2018 Session.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB 54 - Premier Alaska Tours Letter.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB 54 - ARR Resolution 2018-03 Otto Lake for SB 86.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 SB 86 |
| SB 54 - ARR Annual Property Management Report.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |
| SB54 - Map of parcels A & B by Otto Lake.pdf |
STRA 3/12/2019 1:30:00 PM STRA 3/14/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 54 |