CSHJR 56(RLS): Relating to yttrium mining and transfer of the linear induction motor research vehicle to Alaska.
00CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 56(RLS) 01 Relating to yttrium mining and transfer of the linear induction motor research 02 vehicle to Alaska. 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS yttrium bearing and other rare earth minerals have been identified in large 05 quantities on Prince of Wales Island; and 06 WHEREAS the Prince of Wales deposits are the only known deposits of yttrium 07 bearing minerals in North America; and 08 WHEREAS, based on the present world market, one pound of 99.9999 pure yttrium 09 has a market value of $320,000; and 10 WHEREAS the presence of yttrium in the state offers Southeast Alaska a potential 11 economic development opportunity in the areas of mining, refining, research, and 12 manufacturing; and 13 WHEREAS the local availability of refined yttrium metal could promote the 14 establishment of a major research and manufacturing facility for yttrium-based products in
01 Southeast Alaska, resulting in new career opportunities for Alaskans; and 02 WHEREAS products manufactured using yttrium and technology involving yttrium 03 include powerful frictionless motors and magnetic levitation equipment for use in 04 transportation systems, superconducting fault limiters, electromagnetic mass launchers, and 05 yttrium coated tapes and wire; yttrium wire can also be used in medical equipment, including 06 field magnets in MRI-scanning machines; and 07 WHEREAS the firm of Power Superconductor Applications Corporation, based in 08 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has expressed an interest in working with the state to establish 09 manufacturing and research facilities in Southeast Alaska using the local workforce and local 10 facilities; and 11 WHEREAS Power Superconductor Applications Corporation has requested assistance 12 from the state in securing use of a 30-ton linear induction motor research vehicle (LIMRV) 13 currently in storage by the Federal Railroad Administration; and 14 WHEREAS the LIMRV is expected to become part of a four-year based retrofit and 15 research project involving yttrium, yttrium products, and yttrium technology; and 16 WHEREAS the retrofit and research project is expected to start in 1998 and could lead 17 to the establishment of a new $3,100,000 yttrium and yttrium products manufacturing facility 18 in Southeast Alaska, employing 55 Alaskans; once transfer of the LIMRV to the State of 19 Alaska takes place, 15 new jobs for Alaskans are expected to be established immediately; and 20 WHEREAS requests for funding to establish new yttrium industrial and research 21 sectors in Southeast Alaska are not currently being made by the state; 22 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature would welcome a transfer of the 23 linear induction motor research vehicle (LIMRV) to the state as a federal contribution to 24 establishment of a new industrial and research sector located in Southeast Alaska; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Federal Railroad 26 Administration, the Alaska Congressional delegation, and the Governor to facilitate transfer 27 of the LIMRV to Alaska for a period of at least four years. 28 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to Ms. Jolene M. Molitoris, Administrator, 29 Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; and to the Honorable Ted 30 Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, 31 U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.