SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE March 12, 2018 9:01 a.m. 9:01:31 AM CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair MacKinnon called the Senate Finance Committee meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair Senator Anna MacKinnon, Co-Chair Senator Click Bishop, Vice-Chair Senator Peter Micciche Senator Donny Olson Senator Gary Stevens Senator Natasha von Imhof MEMBERS ABSENT None ALSO PRESENT Kristin Ryan, Director, Division of Spill Prevention and Response, Department of Environmental Conservation; Representative Adam Wool, Sponsor. SUMMARY SB 158 OIL/HAZARDOUS SUB.:CLEANUP/REIMBURSEMENT SB 158 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal note: FN 1(DEC). HB 131 RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR FED. PROJ/PROG HB 131 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one new zero fiscal note from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. SENATE BILL NO. 158 "An Act relating to oil and hazardous substances and waiver of cost recovery for containment and cleanup of certain releases; and providing for an effective date." 9:02:22 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon outlined the history of the bill in committee. She relayed that the bill was previously heard in committee on March 8th, 2018. 9:02:53 AM KRISTIN RYAN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF SPILL PREVENTION AND RESPONSE, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, (DEC) recapped the highlights of the bill. She reported that the bill was requested by the governor. The bill would offer cost recovery relief to homeowners when they experienced releases of oil from their home heating oil tanks. Current statutes require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to seek complete cost recovery for cleaning up the spilled petroleum product. She surmised that the situation inhibited homeowners from reporting a spill. The department provided "essential technical assistance" to homeowners who often had "very little knowledge or experience" about how to properly remedy the spill. She believed the legislation enabled the department to carry out the important work that benefitted the public. 9:03:57 AM Senator Micciche wondered whether any national grant money was available to help recover the cleanup costs. He stated his support for the bill. Ms. Ryan replied in the negative. She clarified that the bill only addressed the department's costs for cleanup and the homeowner was still responsible to pay other costs associated with cleaning up the spill. She informed the committee that the homeowner was charged $.095 cents per gallon of heating fuel for the state's cleanup expenses. She maintained that the homeowner already paid for the assistance through their heating oil bills. Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to REPORT SB 158 with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. SB 158 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal note: FN 1(DEC). 9:05:55 AM AT EASE 9:09:45 AM RECONVENED HOUSE BILL NO. 131 "An Act relating to relocation assistance for federally assisted public construction and improvement projects and programs; and providing for an effective date." Co-Chair MacKinnon indicated that the bill was previously heard in committee on March 6th, 2018. 9:10:41 AM REPRESENTATIVE ADAM WOOL, SPONSOR, introduced himself, and addressed the bill. He recounted that HB 131 allowed an increase in the maximum relocation benefits available to a person or a business displaced by a federally-funded highway, bridge, or facilities project. He noted that the reimbursement amount was not updated in 30 years. 9:11:20 AM Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to REPORT HB 131 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 131 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one new zero fiscal note from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. 9:12:01 AM AT EASE 9:14:31 AM RECONVENED Co-Chair MacKinnon discussed the week's schedule. ADJOURNMENT 9:15:01 AM The meeting was adjourned at 9:14 a.m.