Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
03/20/2018 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Board of Marine Pilots | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 20, 2018
1:29 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bert Stedman, Chair
Senator Anna MacKinnon
Senator Click Bishop
Senator David Wilson
Senator Dennis Egan
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Marine Pilots:
Leslie Cronk
Peggy McLaughlin
Richard Harris
-CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
WITNESS REGISTER
LESLIE CRONK, Appointee
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions regarding his
appointment to the Board of Marine Pilots.
PEGGY MCLAUGHLIN, Appointee
Dutch Harbor, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions regarding her
appointment to the Board of Marine Pilots.
RICHARD HARRIS, Appointee
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions regarding his
appointment to the Board of Marine Pilots.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:29:08 PM
CHAIR BERT STEDMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:29 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators MacKinnon, Bishop, Wilson, and Chair
Stedman.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
CONFIRMATION HEARING(s):
BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
1:29:30 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN announced the consideration of the governor's
appointees to the Board of Marine Pilots.
1:30:03 PM
LESLIE CRONK, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, Ketchikan,
Alaska, revealed that he is vice president of North Pacific
Maritime, a vessel ship's agency headquartered in Ketchikan with
operations located throughout Alaska. He explained that he is
applying for a vessel agent position on the board, a position
that he had served on from 2000-2008.
He said he was reapplying for the board appointment because he
has been involved in the maritime agency business in Alaska for
the last 33 years. He set forth that he has significant
experience, has worked in Alaska's three pilot regions, and
knows most of the marine pilots quite well. He said he looks
forward to serving and working with everyone to continue the
state's excellent pilot organizations.
1:30:26 PM
SENATOR EGAN joined the committee meeting.
SENATOR MACKINNON asked Mr. Cronk to speak to the loss-of-life
prevention and environmental protection based on his past role
as well as how he sees himself participating on the board to
improve safety.
MR. CRONK replied that the board's focus is on pilot
qualification to maintain the safety and integrity of the
state's waterways and public safety. He emphasized that he has
been involved in marine-incident-disaster training throughout
his career and brings to the table what he has learned from
incident and event experiences. He set forth that the key is
maintaining the highest quality pilots for navigating the
state's waters safely to protect Alaskans and those visiting
Alaska.
1:32:58 PM
SENATOR MACKINNON referenced a fact sheet from the Office of the
Governor that summarized the Board of Marine Pilots' function as
follows:
The board works to prevent the loss of lives and
property, and to protect marine management.
She noted that Mr. Cronk did not provide a specific action that
the board could take up to improve safety but said she was
satisfied with Mr. Cronk's response. She added that she will
look up the state's statutes to specifically see what the
statutes say regarding the board's function.
1:35:12 PM
PEGGY MCLAUGHLIN, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, Dutch
Harbor, Alaska, disclosed that she is the port director for the
City of Unalaska and the Port of Dutch Harbor. She detailed that
she has been working in the marine industry since 1998 in terms
of major ship traffic. She noted that she has served with the
Board of Marine Pilots the previous year and the experience has
broadened her perspective on marine pilots.
She addressed lifesaving measures and emphasized that Unalaska
has done a tremendous amount of work with pilots and agencies
throughout the Aleutian region by developing certain emergency
responses like the emergency towing system and medical
transfers. She pointed out that medical transfers rely heavily
on pilot expertise and knowledge of both waters and weather
patterns. She disclosed that the board has been working through
a tremendous amount of simulations with new vessels coming into
Southeast Alaska and working through the pilotage requirements
that fit into state regulations.
She summarized that all the previously noted activities are of
great importance because of the amount of traffic that travels
in and out of the "Great Circle Route" in terms of the Aleutian
chain and future arctic traffic through the Bering Strait.
SENATOR MACKINNON referenced previous comments by Mr. Cronk and
remarked that Mr. Cronk gave a better description of what the
board does than what the governor's fact sheet provides. She
added that the board also regulates licenses.
CHAIR STEDMAN commented that he has a lot of confidence in Mr.
Cronk.
1:38:00 PM
RICHARD HARRIS, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, Juneau,
Alaska, disclosed that he is a retired Sealaska Corporation
executive and sees his appointment to the board as an
opportunity to be involved in some of the important marine
transportation issues in Alaska. He noted that he has had an
opportunity to work with marine pilots at various times in his
career. He disclosed that his wife is a seasonal port agent and
his daughter works in the cruise ship industry.
He summarized that his appointment to the board is an excellent
opportunity to understand more about safety and ship navigation
throughout Southeast Alaska waters.
SENATOR MACKINNON announced that in accordance with AS
39.05.080, the Senate Transportation Committee reviewed the
following and recommended the appointments be forwarded to a
joint session for consideration, Board of Marine Pilots: Peggy
McLaughlin, Dutch Harbor; Richard Harris, Juneau; Leslie Cronk,
Ketchikan. This does not reflect an intent by any of the members
to vote for or against the confirmation of the individuals
during any future session.
1:40:05 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN announced that without objection, the names would
be forwarded.
1:40:29 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stedman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee at 1:40 p.m.
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