Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

03/08/2023 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Consideration of Governor's Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Board of
Directors - Mike Chenault
+= HB 50 CARBON STORAGE TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 50(RES) Out of Committee
*+ HB 49 CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM ON STATE LAND TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
           HB 49-CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM ON STATE LAND                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY announced  that the final order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 49, "An  Act authorizing the Department of Natural                                                               
Resources  to   lease  land   for  carbon   management  purposes;                                                               
establishing a carbon offset program  for state land; authorizing                                                               
the  sale  of  carbon  offset   credits;  and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:06:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RENA  MILLER,  Special  Assistant, Office  of  the  Commissioner,                                                               
Department of  Natural Resources  (DNR), provided an  overview of                                                               
HB  49  via  PowerPoint  [hard copy  included  in  the  committee                                                               
packet], on  behalf of the  bill sponsor, House Rules  by request                                                               
of  the  governor.    She  explained that  HB  49  would  provide                                                               
opportunities to  generate revenue.   She shared her  belief that                                                               
the bill would provide a framework  for the state to start taking                                                               
advantage  of  revenue  generating  opportunities  from  Alaska's                                                               
natural  resources  in  a  way that  works  with  other  resource                                                               
development and  supports existing land  use by the public.   She                                                               
offered an  outline of  the presentation  on slide  2, explaining                                                               
that the  department was  looking for  ways to  store atmospheric                                                               
emissions in  living matter.   Greenhouse  gases were  reduced by                                                               
taking  actions  in  a  project  that  increases  carbon  storage                                                               
capacity, she  said, adding  that the  department was  looking at                                                               
maintaining and increasing the amount  of carbon in the landscape                                                               
over time.  She noted that  one metric ton of carbon removed from                                                               
the atmosphere and stored equates  to one credit, which becomes a                                                               
commodity that  the state can  sell on  a voluntary market.   She                                                               
explained that  the credits had  real value to  many corporations                                                               
that  were looking  to reduce  their emissions  or meet  net zero                                                               
goals.    She  shared  her belief  that  carbon  offset  projects                                                               
offered a new way to use natural resources and generate revenue.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:09:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   MCCABE  attempted   to   clarify  Ms.   Miller's                                                               
reference to "net zero goals,"  emphasizing that those goals were                                                               
company specific and not set by the governor.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  confirmed that  nothing in  the bill  would institute                                                               
any requirements  on companies  to reduce  their emissions.   She                                                               
added that emission reduction was  happening on a voluntary basis                                                               
in the private economy external to any state regulations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:11:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER continued  to  slide 3,  which  offered a  simplified                                                               
depiction of carbon  management.  Slide 4 was  a visual summation                                                               
of the  anticipated growth in the  marketplace, demonstrating the                                                               
existing projects that were generating  credits and revenue.  She                                                               
highlighted  the  significant  growth in  the  voluntary  market,                                                               
which was valued at $2 billion in  2021   four times the value in                                                               
2020.   The forecasted growth was  pictured on the right  side of                                                               
the slide with a potential of  five times the amount of growth by                                                               
2030.    She  referenced  a   report  by  Shell  and  the  Boston                                                               
Consulting Group (BCG), which  identified real verifiable offsets                                                               
as the highest priority of those purchasing credits.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  expressed concern about bad  actors taking                                                               
advantage of carbon offset programs.   He pointed out that Alaska                                                               
had verifiable assets, like land  and trees, to offset the carbon                                                               
emissions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER  agreed  that  there  have been  bad  actors  in  the                                                               
voluntary  emission  reduction space.    She  explained that  the                                                               
state  would  work  through  a   registry  of  entities     often                                                               
nonprofits -  with standardized  rules, protocols,  and processes                                                               
for monitoring emission reduction projects.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:16:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE sought to  confirm that these entities were                                                               
turning  towards Alaska  because the  state had  a reputation  of                                                               
"doing  things  the   right  way"  when  it   comes  to  resource                                                               
development and monetization.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  agreed that  Alaska had  a solid  track record.   She                                                               
resumed  the  presentation  on slide  5  by  discussing  Alaska's                                                               
potential for carbon  markets due to the sheer amount  of land in                                                               
the state,  including three state  forests, millions of  acres of                                                               
submerged land, and  uplands.  She said the land  base, the sheer                                                               
scale, and  the resources on  the land were a  potential positive                                                               
for Alaska.  She pointed  out that Alaska Native corporations had                                                               
had  some success  in carbon  offset projects  in the  compliance                                                               
markets  and  the  voluntary marketplaces.    She  discussed  the                                                               
potential benefits  of land management  techniques that  make for                                                               
successful carbon projects.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY asked  whether tundra lands were  suitable for carbon                                                               
storage.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER answered,  "potentially," adding  that carbon  offset                                                               
projects were not limited to forests.   Once the framework was in                                                               
place,  she  said  registries  could   be  consulted  to  develop                                                               
protocols for tundra projects.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT inquired about kelp farming.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER directed the question to Ms. Colles.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:21:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTY  COLLES, Director,  Division  of Mining  Land and  Water,                                                               
Department of  Natural Resources (DNR), reported  that there were                                                               
about  60-70  [aquatic]  farms  in Alaska,  half  of  which  were                                                               
growing  kelp  for  consumptive purposes.    One  [aquatic  farm]                                                               
application, she said, was considering partial sequestration.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WRIGHT asked  how long  the mariculture  industry                                                               
had existed in Alaska.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. COLLES answered that the  program was established in the late                                                               
1990s  and  took off  in  the  2000s.    Beginning in  2015,  the                                                               
department  started  seeing  numerous  applications  for  aquatic                                                               
farms.   She noted that Alaska  was one of the  fastest states in                                                               
adjudicating mariculture applications.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:23:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  said  he  wanted  to  explore  the  word,                                                               
"charisma."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER stated that added value  to a credit was driven by the                                                               
values  of  the marketplace  via  charisma.   She  continued  the                                                               
presentation on slide  6, which listed the  following benefits of                                                               
carbon  markets:  adds  a new,  revenue-generating  tool  to  the                                                               
state's  lands management  toolkit;  compatible  with other  land                                                               
uses; likely economic/value-added benefits.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:26:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG asked whether  the rate of logging would                                                               
increase, decrease, or maintain as a result of carbon offset.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  shared her belief  that carbon offset  was compatible                                                               
with continued timber harvest.   The amount it would change would                                                               
depend on a  specific project, she said.   She directed attention                                                               
to slide  7, which featured a  graph of global carbon  capture by                                                               
the  International Energy  Agency.   She  emphasized that  carbon                                                               
management  was not  an "either/or,"  indicating that  production                                                               
and use of  Alaska's other resources, such as  natural gas, would                                                               
continue within the construct.   She continued to slide 8, titled                                                               
"Next  steps,"  which  read   as  follows  [original  punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     •  Charge the  Department  of  Natural Resources  (DNR)                                                                    
     with  exploring  opportunities  for new  projects  that                                                                    
     align  with  Alaska's   resource,  land  interests  and                                                                    
     responsibilities                                                                                                           
       • Enable carbon offset projects on state land and                                                                        
     shorelines                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  asked  to  what  degree  the  state  was                                                               
considering "the  entire universe  of opportunities,"  as opposed                                                               
to a  clear path  forward as  to what  the authorization  for the                                                               
bill would mean to Alaska.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  specified the necessary  steps to move  forward after                                                               
creating the  framework set forth in  HB 49.  She  explained that                                                               
forest  offset credits  were in  demand and  represented a  large                                                               
component  of  the market;  consequently,  it  would make  for  a                                                               
reasonable  initial  step.   She  explained  that the  department                                                               
would  like to  field  interest with  the  framework and  solicit                                                               
additional  interests  while   determining  what  projects  would                                                               
maximize value and be in the best interest of the state.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER asked  what the  passage of  HB 49  would                                                               
give Alaska that it didn't already have.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  replied that it would  send a signal that  Alaska was                                                               
ready  to engage  in the  carbon offset  world.   She noted  that                                                               
state  legislation related  to  carbon  capture, utilization  and                                                               
storage (CCUS)  and offsets was  mentioned in a  national carbon-                                                               
related newsletter.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:31:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER  resumed the presentation  on slide 9, titled  "HB 49:                                                               
Overview,"   which   read   as  follows   [original   punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
       • Enables private parties to lease state land for                                                                        
     carbon management projects                                                                                                 
     • Establishes the Carbon Offset Program at DNR                                                                             
          • Authorizes use of the 3 state forests for                                                                           
     statesponsored [sic] carbon offset projects                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked whether  a corporation that leased an                                                               
acre of  land in Alaska  to offset carbon could  exclude Alaskans                                                               
from that land.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER deferred to Ms. Colles.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS.  COLLES  said  it  depended  on  the  type  of  authorization                                                               
requested.  She noted that  the department would have the ability                                                               
to write regulations, which could be  an option to consider.  The                                                               
intent would be  to avoid locking up the land  in a typical lease                                                               
with site control.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:33:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE offered  his  understanding that  Alaskans                                                               
were concerned  with access to state  land and would be  upset by                                                               
the idea  of a foreign  company fencing  up the land  and keeping                                                               
them out.  He said he  wanted to ensure that carbon offset leases                                                               
did not exclude Alaskans from the land.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER  said  the  department  would be  happy  to  work  on                                                               
additional safeguards.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  asked  Ms.  Miller to  list  the  names,                                                               
locations, and sizes of the three state forests.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER listed  the Haines  State Forest  Resource Management                                                               
Area, the  Tanana Valley State  Forest, which was over  2 million                                                               
acres, and the Southeast State Forest at around 44,000 acres.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:36:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MEARS addressed  the  risk  of lightning  strikes                                                               
that lead to  wildfires in the interior, in addition  to the risk                                                               
of human  activity and  recreation.  She  surmised that  the risk                                                               
portfolio would  be higher  for Alaska's  forests, as  opposed to                                                               
cutting them off from recreation.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MILLER acknowledged  that wildfire  poses a  risk to  carbon                                                               
projects,  describing   carbon  stored  land  that   burns  as  a                                                               
"reversal"  because   the  carbon  is  released   back  into  the                                                               
atmosphere.   She  explained that  carbon offset  projects pay  a                                                               
percentage  of their  credits into  the  registry's risk  buffer,                                                               
which is  essentially an insurance pool  amongst similar projects                                                               
within the  protocol against "acts  of god" and actions  that are                                                               
outside one's control.   In addition, there were  ways within the                                                               
project design  to incorporate tools to  avoid catastrophic fires                                                               
or reduces their power, such as fire breaks.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS  believed that  there was an  opportunity to                                                               
value  out   the  forest  by   increasing  management   for  fire                                                               
mitigation.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER agreed.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked whether  [the bill] would help Alaska                                                               
bypass the roadless rule and manage the Tongass National Forest.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER offered to follow up with the requested information.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:41:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER began  the sectional analysis for HB 49  on slides 11-                                                               
12, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
       Section 1: Exempts carbon offset program contracts                                                                       
     from procurement code                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: Directs program revenue into a new fund to                                                                      
     pay for program costs                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
      Section 3: Conforms to Sec. 4 / waives typical lease                                                                      
     award process                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
         Section 4: Sets new leasing process for carbon                                                                         
     management purposes                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
      Section 5: Conforms to Sec. 4 / exempts carbon land                                                                       
     lessee from lease preference statute                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER invited Ms. Colles to expound on Section 4.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:43:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  COLLES described  many of  the general  leasing requirements                                                               
that were  included in  the bill, such  as no  preference rights,                                                               
renewable lease  options at the  end of the term,  subleasing and                                                               
lease assignment options, and extensions.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY sought clarity on subleasing.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  COLLES confirmed  that all  subleasing was  approved by  the                                                               
department.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER resumed the sectional analysis on slide 13, which                                                                    
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6:  Establishes the  Carbon Offsets  Program at                                                                    
     DNR 13                                                                                                                     
     • Affirms private landowner rights                                                                                         
     •   Sets   project   evaluation   criteria,   including                                                                    
     viability and state/local economic impacts                                                                                 
     • Requires best interest finding and public process                                                                        
     • Allows DNR to register, sell offset credits                                                                              
     • Protects existing access, use of state lands                                                                             
     • Establishes new fund for project revenues, costs                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Sections 7-9: Enable DNR  carbon offset projects within                                                                    
     Haines State Forest Resource Management Area Sections                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     10-13: Enable  DNR carbon offset projects  within other                                                                    
     state forests                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:51:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked for more insight on the "ins and                                                                     
outs" of the carbon offset revenue fund.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILLER offered to follow up with the requested information.                                                                 
She continued the sectional analysis on slides 14-15, which read                                                                
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Sections 7-9: Enable DNR  carbon offset projects within                                                                    
     Haines State Forest Resource Management Area Sections                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     10-13: Enable  DNR carbon offset projects  within other                                                                    
     state forests                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  14:   Authorizes  DNR  to   adopt  regulations                                                                    
     implementing the bill                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section   15:  Sets   immediate   effective  date   for                                                                    
     authority to adopt regulations                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:55:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt the proposed committee                                                                     
substitute (CS) for HB 49, Version 33-GH1372\S, Dunmire, 3/3/23,                                                                
as the work draft.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
ED   KING,  Staff,   Representative  Tom   McKay,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  on  behalf  of  Representative  McKay,  provided  a                                                               
summary  of changes  in the  proposed CS  for HB  49, Version  S,                                                               
[included  in  the  committee  packet],  which  read  as  follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
         Change 1: Technical drafting changes were made                                                                         
     throughout the bill                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Change 2: The effective date was expanded to cover the                                                                     
     entire bill (Page 9, line 17)                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY removed his objection.  There being no further                                                                      
objection, Version S was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY announced that HB 49, Version S, was held over.                                                                     

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 49 committee substitute version S.pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Summary of changes (A to S).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Transmittal Letter 01.26.2023.pdf HRES 2/24/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Sectional Analysis 2.1.2023.pdf HRES 2/24/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Carbon Offset Bill Overview 2.1.2023.pdf HRES 2/24/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Overview Presentation DNR 03.01.23.pdf HRES 3/1/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 50 updated fiscal note (DEC).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 updated fiscal note (DNR).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 updated fiscal note (AOGCC).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB50 CS - S.pdf HRES 3/1/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 Summary of Changes (A to S).pdf HRES 3/1/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 49 DOF Forest Management Presentation.pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/13/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 49
HB 50 amendment 1 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 amendment 2 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 amendment 3 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 amendment 4 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 amendment 5 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50
HB 50 amendment 6 (HRES).pdf HRES 3/8/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 50