03/30/1999 01:40 PM Senate TRA

                                                                                                                                
        HB  12-RAIL/UTILITY EASEMENT TO AK-CANADA BORDER                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN WARD called the Senate Transportation Committee meeting to                                                             
order at 1:40 p.m. He brought up HB 12 and invited Representative                                                               
James to present it.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 025                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JEANETTE JAMES explained the bill is subject to                                                                  
legislative appropriation and would reauthorize a corridor                                                                      
connecting the existing rail line in Alaska to the Canadian                                                                     
railroad in British Columbia, or wherever it is determined to be.                                                               
It reauthorizes the bill put into statute in 1982, because the                                                                  
applications were dropped by DOTPF in 1996.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The addition made in House Finance Committee on page 2, lines 9-11,                                                             
provides the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shall promptly                                                               
delineate the corridor that was previously identified on all of the                                                             
maps and records maintained by DNR. She said that's the only                                                                    
difference in  the CS and the original bill.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN WARD asked the pleasure of the committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PEARCE moved CSSSHB 12(FIN)am from committee with                                                                       
individual recommendations.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LINCOLN interjected that she would like to ask a question.                                                              
She asked if the Canadians are enthused about the extension from                                                                
Alaska into Canada, because the residents she has spoken with in                                                                
Whitehorse were not enthused.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES replied that her discussions with Canadians                                                                
have conveyed their excitement about this.  A public teleconference                                                             
with interested parties is scheduled for the latter part of April                                                               
to discuss the problems and benefits of that railroad connection.                                                               
The Canadian Arctic Railroad has shown an interest in this issue.                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 108                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LINCOLN said it was a couple weeks ago when she spoke to                                                                
the Yukon officials.  She also found that some of the First Nations                                                             
people are not too excited about the railroad extension, and she                                                                
asked if it crosses Native lands in Canada, or in Alaska.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES answered, there are some Native lands in                                                                   
Alaska identified on this corridor, and she sent out letters asking                                                             
for their comments.  Six years ago she found a big resistance from                                                              
the Native community to legislation providing any kind of access                                                                
from Fairbanks to the Seward Peninsula.  Now the attitude has                                                                   
changed. She said, "They don't want roads but they would consider                                                               
rails."   This piece of legislation simply authorizes the                                                                       
delineation of a corridor, subject to legislative appropriation.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LINCOLN withdrew her objection.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN WARD stated for the record that the Canadian government                                                                
has  supported the corridor since 1982 when he took part in passing                                                             
the original corridor as a member of the House.  He is surprised                                                                
the First Nations are not supportive because they played an active                                                              
part in it in 1982.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LINCOLN clarified that only some of the First Nations                                                                   
people were opposed to it.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN WARD noted that the objection is not maintained, and HB 12                                                             
passed out of committee with individual recommendations.