04/25/2019 10:00 AM House FISHERIES

            HB 116-AQUATIC FARM/HATCHERY SITE LEASES                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:02:52 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STUTES announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE  FOR HOUSE BILL  NO. 116, "An Act  relating to                                                               
the renewal or  extension of site leases for  aquatic farming and                                                               
aquatic plant and shellfish hatchery operations."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STUTES  noted that  on 4/23/19  the committee  heard public                                                               
testimony and  discussed the bill.   She said no  amendments were                                                               
received and  there was  one letter of  opposition.   She invited                                                               
the bill sponsor to provide remarks.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:03:20 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDI  STORY,  Alaska State  Legislature,  as  the                                                               
sponsor, provided remarks regarding SSHB  116.  She explained the                                                               
bill  would simplify  the Department  of Natural  Resources (DNR)                                                               
lease renewal  process for aquatic  farms.  If enacted,  the bill                                                               
would  help  Alaska  based   aquaculture  businesses  succeed  by                                                               
reducing  administrative  burden,  expediting the  lease  renewal                                                               
process, and  reducing risk for businesses  that make significant                                                               
capital investments.  Further, the  bill would reduce workload on                                                               
an overstretched  state agency while still  adequately protecting                                                               
the public interest.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:04:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated his support for SSHB 116.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said she supports  SSHB 116 because reducing                                                               
the regulatory and statutory burden  on Alaska's small businesses                                                               
will help  them be  successful in  the long  run.   Regarding the                                                               
concern expressed by  one of her constituents  about allowing for                                                               
public  process in  the [proposed]  renewal process,  she related                                                               
that DNR responded  that, while it may be a  condensed version of                                                               
the process,  there is a  time that  [members of the  public] can                                                               
appeal if  they have concerns.   So, she continued,  the public's                                                               
voice will be  heard, but it won't be the  lengthy public process                                                               
as if  [the farm  owner] was  applying for the  first time.   The                                                               
committee  has  considered that  there  is  still public  process                                                               
available  in this  [proposed] renewal  process.   Regarding  the                                                               
concern about  the size of  aquatic farms, she said  that aquatic                                                               
farms  cannot  be any  larger  than  one-third  of  a bay.    Any                                                               
concerns  about  larger  corporations  can be  addressed  in  the                                                               
future.   She  supports SSHB  116 as  it stands  because it  will                                                               
allow Alaska's small farms to continue and become profitable.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN  noted he talked  to the sponsor  about the                                                               
10-year look  back and said he  thinks that adds a  bit of surety                                                               
into the  system.  Ten  years provides a  chance for the  farm to                                                               
get going and determine whether it will work.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:07:34 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KREISS-TOMKINS moved  to report  SSHB 116  out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.   There being  no objection, SSHB 116  was reported                                                               
from the House Special Committee on Fisheries.