ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE  March 17, 2020 8:06 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator David Wilson, Vice Chair Senator Peter Micciche Senator Jesse Kiehl MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Mia Costello, Chair Senator Shelley Hughes COMMITTEE CALENDAR  CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Board of Marine Pilots: Richard Harris - Juneau Lucas Hasenbank - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER  LUCAS HASENBANK, Appointee Board of Marine Pilots Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development President, Alaska Maritime Agencies Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of Marine Pilots. RICHARD HARRIS, Appointee Board of Marine Pilots Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of Marine Pilots. ACTION NARRATIVE  8:06:05 AM VICE CHAIR DAVID WILSON called the Senate Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 08:06 a.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Kiehl, Micciche, and Vice Chair Wilson. ^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Board of Marine Pilots  8:06:38 AM VICE CHAIR WILSON announced that the first order of business would be confirmation hearings for the Board of Marine Pilots. 8:06:49 AM VICE CHAIR WILSON said the Board of Marine Pilots is responsible for licensing of marine pilots. Marine pilots provide on board directing of the safe navigation of ships through Alaska's waters. The board is authorized through AS 08.62 and consists of seven members: six appointed by the governor - two licensed pilots actively engaged in piloting vessels, two agents or managers of vessels, and two public members; and the commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development or the commissioner's designee. The board is supported by the marine pilot coordinator in the DCCED. He stated that the board's administrative and board costs are paid for by fees from marine pilots, agent license renewals, and the foreign vessel pilotage exemption fees. The Board of Marine Pilots recognizes three associations: the Alaska Marine Pilots LLC, Unalaska; the Marine Pilots of Southeast Alaska, Ketchikan; and the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association, Homer. He said that the board responsibilities are rigorous but are focused on efficient and competent pilotage services, establishing qualifications and training for marine pilots, ensuring that marine pilot licensees meet the board's criteria for licensure, maintaining a register of pilot associations' licensed pilots, deputy pilots, and agents. The board reviews and approves the articles, bylaws, and rules of the pilot associations. It also approves or disapproves rates for pilotage services. The board may, by regulation, or other lawful means, ensure proper and safe pilotage, including establishing licensing criteria for marine pilots by region, mandatory drug and alcohol testing, and taking other actions to ensure safe navigation of vessels through Alaska's waters. 8:08:46 AM LUCAS HASENBANK, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Anchorage, Alaska, said he currently serves as president of the Alaska Maritime Agencies, also known as Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska. This agency oversees ship agents who dispatch marine pilots to a variety of vessels, including tankers, cruise ships, research, military, and general cargo ships in Alaskan waters. After receiving a master's degree in business from the University of South Dakota, he began his career at the Alaska Maritime Agencies in Juneau in 2003. He said he has a good working relationship with the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association, which operates in Southcentral Alaska and Prince William Sound, and the Alaska Marine Pilots, which handles all of Western Alaska activities north to the Chukchi Sea at Point Barrow. In addition, he represents the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce on the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen Awareness Council and serves on the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee. He said he has attended almost all of the Board of Marine Pilots meetings in the past 10 years. He would like to serve on the board because he brings experience as a ship agent working with the marine pilots. 8:11:08 AM SENATOR MICCICHE said he serves as the president of the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee steering team. He offered his view that Mr. Hasenbank seems well equipped for the position. VICE CHAIR WILSON turned to the next appointee to the Board of Marine Pilots, Mr. Richard Harris. 8:12:02 AM RICHARD HARRIS, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Juneau, Alaska, said he has served one term on the Board of Marine Pilots and is seeking reappointment. In 1978, after earning a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries from the University of Washington, he began working as program manager for the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association in Ketchikan. In 1980, he was hired as the environmental coordination manager for Sealaska Corporation and he retired as the executive vice president in 2014. MR. HARRIS said that he currently works as a consultant, providing assistance to his former employers on issues related to land and resource management issues, including federal legislation, and promoting the Sealaska Heritage Institute Northwest Coast Arts Initiative. He stated that in 2017 he was appointed to the Board of Marine Pilots. He related his interest in serving on the board stems from his desire to give back to his community through public service and by using his experience to assist the board. He has spent his entire career working on issues related to marine water, marine transportation, and environmental safeguards to maintain safe and productive waters. His family members have all worked in summer or permanent jobs in the cruise ship industry. He said he is a good board member and has enjoyed working with the marine pilot associations. He asked members for their consideration for his reappointment to the board. 8:14:44 AM VICE CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion. SENATOR MICCICHE commented that marine pilots are unsung heroes, responsible for navigating larger vessels to and from Alaskan ports by substantially minimizing the risks, often in the worst weather conditions. He stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the Senate Transportation Standing Committee reviewed the following and recommends the appointments be forwarded to a joint session for consideration: Board of Marine Pilots: Richard Harris - Juneau Lucas Hasenbank - Anchorage Signing the reports regarding appointments to boards and commissions in no way reflects individual members' approval or disapproval of the appointees; the nominations are merely forwarded to the full legislature for confirmation or rejection. 8:15:50 AM There being no further business to come before the committee, Vice Chair Wilson adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing Committee meeting at 8:15 a.m.