Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 106
02/05/2015 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB35 | |
| HB13 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 35 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 13 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 35-GREAT ALASKA EARTHQUAKE REMEMBRANCE DAY
8:12:46 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE
BILL NO. 35, "An Act establishing March 27 as Great Alaska
Earthquake Remembrance Day."
8:13:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CHARISSE MILLETT, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, presented HB 35, which addresses the Great Alaska
Earthquake. She stated that the earthquake, which occurred on
March 27, 1964, leveled many areas of Southcentral Alaska,
decimated the City of Valdez, Alaska, resulted in an estimated
$311 million in property damage, and took 128 lives, 15 from the
earthquake and another 113 from the tsunami that followed.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT said the intent of the proposed
legislation is not about remembering the disaster itself, but
highlights the brave efforts of people during the disaster,
including first responders and entire communities that came
together to help. She said HB 35 would increase awareness and
hold March 27 as a day of remembrance; it would allow
communities to hold awareness events to pay tribute to those
lives that were lost.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT reminded everyone that the Great Alaska
Earthquake struck at 5:36 p.m., lasted about three minutes and
was a magnitude 9.2 quake. She said Alaska averages three to
four [earthquakes] a day; the Aleutian Islands are especially
active. She indicated that those earthquakes typically range
between magnitude 1.5 and 5.4. She noted that HB 35 would
remind people to be prepared for such an event as the bill makes
mention of the need for safer environments in which people live.
She encouraged committee members to support the proposed
legislation.
8:15:40 AM
CHAIR LYNN said he thinks HB 35 would make people aware of what
they should be doing to be prepared for an earthquake, which
could happen at any moment.
8:16:24 AM
CHUCK VOLANTI read his testimony in support of HB 35. He stated
that he is a former Alaska Air National Guard flight dispatcher
who began "this journey" because of his love of Alaska, its
people, his mission with the Alaska Air National Guard, and a
flight crew that was tragically lost. He thanked the prime
sponsor for bringing HB 35 forward, calling the proposed
legislation "history-making" and "time-honored," because it
finally would honor past generations represented by thousands of
Alaskans who gave selfless sacrifice by placing others before
themselves. He indicated that today, history owes much to those
people.
MR. VOLANTI said last session the legislature paved the way for
HB 35 by sponsoring House Joint Resolution 23, proclaiming March
27, 2014, as "Good Friday Earthquake Remembrance Day" to honor
the fiftieth anniversary of the quake. He recollected that
during a House State Affairs Standing Committee hearing on
January 28, 2014, it became apparent there was a desire for an
annual day of recognition; however, it was not legally possible
to set aside a day in perpetuity under a resolution, as it would
require a bill. He thanked the committee for pursuing the plea
for permanent legislation.
MR. VOLANTI continued reading his testimony, sharing his
experience during the earthquake, as follows:
On the evening of March 27, 1964, I was the Alaska Air
National Guard's flight dispatcher coordinating flight
operations at Kulis Air National Guard Base in
Anchorage. We were a small unit, with ten C123-J
aircraft and enough flight crews to put them in the
air at any given time. The Guard's mission was to
mitigate civil emergencies whenever and where ever the
mission took us, and very soon we would be severely
tested.
The magnitude 9.2 Good Friday Earthquake that struck
at 5:36 pm was the largest ever in recorded history.
It cast a pall of death and destruction across
thousands of square miles of pristine landscapes,
lasting close to four minutes where seconds seemed
like hours.
I have been asked many times to describe what that
experience was like. ... Most of us know what a bull
riding contest looks like: A rider desperately doing
everything possible to stay the required eight
seconds, as he sits atop this massive, jumping,
jolting, and twisting beast. That is what it was like
and what I experienced, along with countless thousands
of Alaskans, as it lasted not eight seconds, but for
close to four minutes.
8:18:43 AM
When it was over, Governor William Egan immediately
activated all Guard units. Within the hour, military
members were converging on Kulis Air National Guard
Base. Without hesitation, we began dispersing troops
into neighboring communities to recover casualties,
tend to those who were suffering, free those who were
trapped in the rubble of their surroundings, and to
ensure civil order. Few of us sat around a conference
table planning. As pilots and co-pilots began
arriving, they were anxious to take to the air to get
to those areas and people most in need.
Communications were difficult and darkness was upon
us. Through the night we gathered what vital
information we could and began loading supplies,
equipment, and putting necessary personnel on standby
as we awaited first light. When dawn finally came, we
put our planes in the air.
During those days our administrative flight operations
office consisted of ... a flight crew of four
personnel. I am the sole surviving member; the others
perished three weeks later during a quake-related
humanitarian relief mission. That's when their
aircraft tragically crashed on takeoff from the City
of Valdez. Also lost in this tragedy was the State of
Alaska's first ever appointed Alaska National Guard
Adjutant General, Major General Thomas P. Carroll.
Because we were a small unit, we operated more like
close family than a formal military command. Losing
these men was like losing family; they were selfless,
dedicated, and committed to duty - patriots all.
The scope of this quake is legendary, and nothing has
had more impact on Alaska or its people. All were
forever changed. Many towns were destroyed - Valdez,
Seward, Portage, Girdwood, Chenega Village - and those
towns suffered numerous fatalities. Anchorage
sustained unimaginable devastation. The
infrastructure was in shambles; the quake destroyed
hundreds of dwellings and businesses and created
numerous landslides throughout the area. A renowned
neighborhood, "Turnagain by the Sea," was decimated
when several residential blocks collapsed onto the
mudflats of Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet. So much
more could be said but can be seen elsewhere in all
forms of written and electronic media.
8:20:56 AM
In the end, as devastating and ravaging as the quake
and tsunamis were, ... [they were] not the main focus
of this event. The cornerstone is and remains the
Alaskan people of the day and how they all rallied
together without hesitation. First responders came
from all walks of life, beginning with your next door
neighbor, firefighters, police officers, [Alaska]
State Troopers, members of the Army Corp of Engineers,
medics, doctors, nurses, municipal workers, Army and
Air National Guard units, and many others too numerous
to mention. All these people displayed a strong will
of resilience, resolve, tenacity, and self-sacrifice.
Like the Phoenix of old, standing shoulder to shoulder
they arose from the ashes of death, destruction, and
despair to rebuild their lives, cities, towns,
villages and communities, so that all those to follow
would have a better life.
And again, I say history owes much to these people of
yesteryear. What a thriving state of Alaska and its
citizens enjoy today is because they stand on the
shoulders of those giants of the past. Their selfless
sacrifices paid honor to the future. Now it's up to
us to pay honor to those of the past. We should never
forget, never take for granted, and always honor them.
HB 35 accomplishes that. As a former member of the
Alaska Air National Guard, I dedicate my efforts to
the memory of all who perished, suffered great loss,
and to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and
always remembering the families they left behind.
8:22:22 AM
In closing, I would ask for one consideration that the
title of HB 35 be amended to read, "Great Alaska Good
Friday Earthquake Remembrance Day." Good Friday gives
recognition to the actual day and holiday on which it
occurred, connects the title to the initial
legislation HJR 23, entitled, "Good Friday Earthquake
Remembrance Day," and finally, across this great state
and nation, is meaningful to all people of faith.
MR. VOLANTI announced that on March 27, at 5:36 p.m., annually
and in perpetuity, church bells would ring across Alaska. He
explained that he had spoken with the Catholic Archbishop of
Alaska, Roger Schwietz, and the [Russian] Orthodox Bishop, David
Mahaffey, who committed that their over 200 combined churches
would toll the bells "to honor those we have spoken of here
today." He thanked the committee for hearing his testimony and
offered to answer questions.
8:23:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER thanked Mr. Volanti for his service in the
Alaska Air National Guard, and he opined that Mr. Volanti's
suggestion for changing the name of the day was a good one,
because everyone remembers the earthquake by that name.
8:23:56 AM
CHAIR LYNN asked Mr. Volanti what the structural damage was to
the runways at Kullis Air National Guard Base or Anchorage
International Airport.
MR. VOLANTI answered that there were cracks and crevices in the
tarmac but nothing that prevented aircraft from taking off. He
added that some hangars were damaged and a huge water tower came
out of the ground eight feet. He said the Anchorage
International Tower collapsed, resulting in the death of one
person and two people being trapped in the rubble. The National
Guard rescued the two who were trapped. The loss of the tower
interrupted all civilian incoming air traffic. He described the
scene as chaotic and said there were no manuals written to guide
people through the ordeal, thus everyone did what he/she thought
needed to be done at the time.
MR. VOLANTI continued as follows:
The Army National Guard was getting off duty, after
their two weeks of training, and some of those folks
were Natives, and I know they were going back to the
villages that they came from, and I saw the faces of
them as they returned back into that operation room,
knowing they had to go back to duty and not knowing
the fate of their own families. But they did that.
MR. VOLANTI said the National Guard made "a massive coordination
effort" with many civilian entities.
8:27:42 AM
CHAIR LYNN remarked that evidence of the earthquake still
remains where the land fell in Girdwood. He related that he had
landed in Alaska three days after the earthquake and underwent
Arctic training at a military base and there were significant
aftershocks at that time. He said he saw the Alaska National
Guard guarding buildings from looters on Fourth Avenue in
Anchorage. He remarked that the earthquake falls into the same
category of other major events in life a person never forgets.
8:29:32 AM
MR. VOLANTI apologized if his testimony may have rambled, but
explained that, to himself, the recounting of the event is still
very emotional.
8:29:49 AM
RICHARD KOEHLER, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
(DGGS), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), testified that he
serves as the state earthquake geologist in the Division of
Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) and represents the
governor on the Alaska Seismic Hazard Safety Commission (ASHSC).
He said the proposed legislation would provide the means to
recognize the 1964 earthquake as one of the most powerful ever
recorded in the world, as well as to recognize its role in
unifying Alaskans in the difficult time that followed the event.
MR. KOEHLER said the earthquake was associated with tremendous
damage and over 130 fatalities related to ground shaking, land
sliding, tsunami, and other hazards distributed across
Southcentral Alaska. He echoed Mr. Volanti's testimony
regarding the landslides that affected the Turnagain Heights
neighborhood in Anchorage, and he said there was catastrophic
damage done in the Fourth Street area downtown. He said tsunami
waves devastated communities, including Valdez, Seward, and
Kodiak, with costly impacts to fishing fleets and transportation
and supply chain infrastructure.
MR. KOEHLER stated that in the decades following the event,
Alaska communities adopted stringent standards that exceeded the
Uniform Building Code and rezoned the tsunami inundation areas.
He said human disaster memory is short-lived, and appropriate
seismic hazard mitigation measures are not universally applied.
For example, many older schools and other important buildings
are still not adequately designed to withstand strong ground
shaking. He said building permits have recently been issued in
areas susceptible to landslide. Mr. Koehler said although the
possibility of a repeat of the 1964 event is not likely in the
near future, a magnitude 8 is entirely possible anywhere in the
south part of the state. Further, any other fault lines that
are "relatively unsteadied" are capable of causing damaging
earthquakes.
8:31:55 AM
MR. KOEHLER stated that the 2002 Denali fault earthquake, which
was a magnitude 7.9, as well as the 2013 "event" near Craig,
Alaska, are sobering reminders of the potential for future
damaging events.
8:32:09 AM
MR. KOEHLER said last year, during the 50th anniversary of the
1964 earthquake, many events were designed to increase public
awareness and preparedness for future potentially damaging
earthquakes. He said the events helped planners, developers,
and the general public build a better resilience to Alaska's
seismic hazards. He opined that HB 35 would provide an annual
reminder of the state's exposure to earthquakes and facilitate
continued earthquake education and awareness. He said this
reminder would ensure continued programs and events, which
provide the public with the knowledge of what to do during an
earthquake; it would help in the planning of tsunami evacuation
routes and drills; and it would assist in the design of
infrastructure. Mr. Koehler stated that adoption of HB 35 would
lead to safer communities, a reduction in the number of lives
lost during earthquakes, and result in faster social and
economic recovery in the aftermath of a future damaging
earthquake.
8:33:15 AM
MR. KOEHLER, regarding Mr. Volanti's recommendation to amend HB
35 to add the words "Good Friday" to the name, related that in
recent scientific literature the event has been referred to as
"the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake." He said that is the most
common name currently; however, he said he understands and
appreciates that the Good Friday name is embedded in many
people's minds. Regarding the ringing of bells, he related that
he was in San Francisco for the one-hundred year anniversary of
the Great 1906 Earthquake, and all the fire houses rang their
bells very early in the morning, and they ran the horse-drawn
cars down the street. He said that event had an emotional
impact on many people. He stated support for the idea to sound
the bells. He concluded by stating he thinks HB 35 is a great
bill that raises awareness of earthquakes.
8:35:03 AM
ROBERT L. SCHER, PE, Chair, Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety
Commission (ASHSC), emphasized his appreciation in the way in
which the sponsor and Mr. Volanti captured the significance and
effect of the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake on Good Friday. He
stated that without question, that earthquake and subsequent
recovery effort represents one of the defining moments in Alaska
statehood. He said the significance of the earthquake went
beyond the borders of Alaska and time: it greatly affected the
science of geology and seismic engineering, in terms of
demonstrating the massive potential for destruction of a great
subduction zone earthquake; it helped to solidify the theory of
plate tectonics; and it effected the engineering of structures,
land use planning, and the idea of predicting the potential for
ground shaking and failure when considering building codes.
MR. SCHER stated that the earthquake was an important factor in
the federal adoption of the National Earthquake Reduction
Program in the early '70s, which led to the formation of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He said the lessons
provided from that earthquake are still applicable today and
should be remembered. He said that as Chair Lynn pointed out,
Alaska is one of the most seismically active places in the world
and certainly the most active in the U.S., and the 1964
earthquake is one of the strongest recorded on earth. He echoed
Mr. Koehler's remark that Alaska may not see another earthquake
of that magnitude "in our lifetime," but pointed out that recent
earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, Italy, and China have
illustrated the destruction and devastation from earthquakes of
magnitudes of 6 and above. He offered his understanding that
the earthquake in Christchurch was a magnitude 6.3 and resulted
in close to 200 deaths, and the one in Italy was also a
magnitude 6.3. He said, "There were over 300 deaths associated
with earthquakes." He related that in 2014, Alaska had over
five earthquakes in greater than magnitude 6. He said three of
them occurred in remote parts of the state, but one occurred
close to Fairbanks, and another close to Anchorage. If the two
earthquakes near cities had been any closer to those cities,
they could have resulted in destruction.
MR. SCHER said the first of ASHSC's statutory powers and duties
is to work with the governor and the legislature to find ways to
mitigate the hazard or the risk to the population and the
state's infrastructure. He said he thinks the most practical
and cost-effective way to reduce the risk of a future earthquake
to public safety is through the continuation of education
outreach and awareness. He said HB 35 will not only honor those
who lost their lives in the 1964 earthquake, but also will go a
long way in helping the commission spread awareness, which can
save lives.
8:41:21 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 35.
8:41:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked for the prime sponsor's feedback
regarding Mr. Volanti's suggestion for a title change. He said
he thinks there are many Alaskans who think of the earthquake as
the Good Friday earthquake.
8:42:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT said she was sure Bishop Edward Burns
would love to have "Good Friday" in the title of HB 35;
therefore, she stated that she would not [oppose] an amendment.
8:42:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to adopt Amendment 1, as follows:
Page 1, line 1:
Between "Great Alaska" and "Earthquake
Remembrance Day"
Insert "Good Friday"
8:43:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to adopt a conceptual amendment
to Amendment 1, to conform the same language throughout the
bill. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR LYNN announced that there being no objection, Amendment 1,
as amended, was adopted.
8:44:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 35, Version 29-
LS0212\W, as amended, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There
being no objection, HB 35(STA) passed from the House State
Affairs Standing Committee.