02/10/1997 01:40 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL 107                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act relating to water quality enhancement and water                 
       supply, wastewater, and solid waste systems grants; and                 
       providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Therriault explained that the proposed  legislation                 
  would remove from statutes the Water Quality Enhancement and                 
  Water Supply, Wastewater, and Solid Waste Systems Fund.  The                 
                                                                               
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  fund is empty and  has not been used to  make appropriations                 
  to the program.                                                              
                                                                               
  KEITH KELTON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF FACILITY CONSTRUCTION  &                 
  OPERATION, DEPARTMENT OF  ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,  noted                 
  that  the Department  would  not object  to  passage of  the                 
  proposed  legislation.    The  Department initially  thought                 
  there could be a conflict in receiving federal  authority to                 
  establish  an Alaska Safe Water Drinking Fund.  Upon further                 
  investigation, there  would be  no conflict  to create  that                 
  fund with passage of this legislation.                                       
                                                                               
  Representative  J.  Davies  asked  how  the  fund  would  be                 
  established.  Mr.  Kelton replied,  another statute  created                 
  two  years ago,  AS 46.03.036,  specifically  authorizes the                 
  Department to administer  that program.                                      
                                                                               
  Representative  Mulder  MOVED  to  report   HB  107  out  of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal note.  There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                 
  so ordered.                                                                  
                                                                               
  HB  107  was reported  out  of  Committee with  a  "do pass"                 
  recommendation and with a zero fiscal note by the Department                 
  of Environmental Conservation (DEC).