Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
04/15/2019 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB122 | |
| Presentation(s): Oil and Gas Taxes by the Department of Revenue | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 122 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 122-FUNTER BAY MARINE PARK: UNANGAN CEMETERY
1:03:34 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 122, "An Act relating to the Funter Bay
marine park unit of the state park system; relating to
protection of the social and historical significance of the
Unangax cemetery located in Funter Bay and providing for the
amendment of the management plan for the Funter Bay marine park
unit; and providing for an effective date."
1:04:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN, sponsor, stated HB 122 is a project 77
years in the making, including about two decades of active
political work, to preserve the Unangan cemetery in Funter Bay
[on the northwest coast of Admiralty Island]. She related that
during World War II (WWII), people of the Aleutian Islands were
relocated to six camps in Southeast Alaska when the Japanese
started invading the Aleutians. Funter Bay was probably the
worst of the camps, she said, in that it had one of the highest
death ratios. Unlike the other campsites, she noted, the Funter
Bay cemetery is on state property and unpreserved. She said two
of the six relocation campsites were located in Funter Bay, one
at the mine site and one at the cannery site. The other camps
were located at Killisnoo near Angoon, which is private
property; Ward Cove outside of Ketchikan, which is federal
property and has been preserved as part of the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) camp; Wrangell Institute in Wrangell;
and Burnett [Inlet], where today there is a fish hatchery. She
pointed out that the people relocated to the Funter Bay
campsites had already once been relocated from their traditional
Aleutian Island homelands when in the late 1700s Russian fur
trappers moved them to the Pribilof Islands where they were
forced to hunt furs.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN stated the Funter Bay relocation camps
were also known as internment camps because the men at these
camps were forced to leave their families in Funter Bay to go to
U.S. government sealing camps on the Pribilof Islands during
harvest time. The families left behind were ill prepared to
survive because of the marginal conditions at the Funter Bay
camps and a large cemetery ensued. About two decades ago, she
continued, people started to work on ensuring that the cemetery
didn't disappear. Some of the camp people's descendants still
live in the region today and some returned to the Pribilof's
post WWII, she said, and they have sought protection for that
land. While she happens to have the privilege of being the
person in office who is bringing to culmination the bill before
the committee, the dialogues for preserving this land have been
around for at least two decades, she said. She noted that a
number of the people involved in that dialogue are present today
to provide expertise. She acknowledged the leadership of the
executive branch as well as the director and regional director
of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation who continued to
shepherd things to this step. She explained that a land survey
was done that would provide for the preservation of the cemetery
and HB 122 would protect it by moving the upland that the
cemetery is located on from the Division of Land, Mining and
Water into marine park status under the Division of Parks and
Outdoor Recreation.
1:08:31 PM
HUNTER MEACHUM, Staff, Representative Sara Hannan, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Hannan, sponsor,
reviewed HB 122 by way of a PowerPoint presentation entitled,
"HB 122, Funter Bay Marine Park: Unangan Cemetery." She
explained that HB 122 would transfer the parcel of land that the
cemetery is on in Funter Bay from the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), Division of Land, Mining and Water, to the
Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation to preserve the
cemetery's social and historical significance. She displayed a
photograph on slide 3 of the cemetery as it is today and noted
it is well maintained due to the efforts of family members and
the organization, Friends of Admiralty Island. Moving to slide
4, she showed a photograph of the headstone for a child born
about a month before relocation to the Funter Bay camp
[5/23/42], and who died in October because the conditions were
so terrible. Ms. Hunter brought attention to the land survey in
the committee packet depicting the cemetery's location.
1:11:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER remarked that it sounds like a great
idea. He inquired whether any municipal land is involved.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN replied no.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked how much area would be involved.
MS. MEACHUM responded that the total acreage is 537 acres.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN said DNR is online to address the
committee. She noted that DNR is suggesting the whole parcel of
state land under the Division of Mining, Land and Water be moved
into park status, so it is contiguous and not just an outlying
piece of burial plots.
1:13:22 PM
RICKY GEASE, Director, Central Office, Division of Parks and
Outdoor Recreation, Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
testified that HB 122 has the department's full support at all
levels. He said it has been a privilege to work and coordinate
with the diverse groups of knowledgeable people, agencies, and
organizations that have been working hard to further protect
this historical and culturally significant site. [This will]
help inform Alaskans about the importance of the cemetery and
the hardships imposed on the Aleut people of St. Paul and St.
George islands while in the Funter Bay area during WWII.
1:14:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER offered his understanding that tracts 37
and 38, plus multiple lots, are included for a total of 537
acres involved in the transfer.
MR. GEASE offered his belief that the aforementioned is correct.
He deferred to Mr. Preston Kroes for answering any specific
questions about the specific lots involved.
1:15:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS inquired whether this is the first bit of
land to be added to the marine park. He further inquired
whether the land management plan for this marine park would be
changed.
MR. GEASE answered that to his knowledge there is some land and
HB 122 would add two additional lands that are currently under
the Division of Mining, Land and Water. The bill would ensure
that these lands are protected under the Division of Parks and
Outdoor Recreation and there is the authority for enforcement
that comes with state park lands. He deferred to Mr. Kroes to
answer about the land management plan.
1:16:48 PM
PRESTON KROES, Superintendent, Southeast Region, Division of
Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), stated the parcel the cemetery is located on is currently
under the Division of Mining, Land and Water and designated to
be managed as part of the state park. Therefore, he said,
nothing really will change as far as management; it will be
managed pretty much the same as it currently is and just be an
addition to the current state marine park.
1:17:43 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR asked whether a full assessment of the state's
public lands has been done for important historical sites. She
further asked whether Mr. Kroes is aware of any other sites like
this one that the committee should be thinking about.
MR. KROES offered his belief that unfortunately a lot of things
like this are missed. He said that is why, upon hearing about
it, the division was more than happy to have it extend into the
state marine park to protect it and ensure it will be there for
the cultural history. He pointed out that it wouldn't be any
additional budgetary burden as the state marine park is
relatively undeveloped. He added that the division hopes to get
some interpretive panels put out in that area.
1:18:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO inquired about the ownership status of
the lands adjacent to the boundary of the cemetery parcel.
MR. KROES replied there are some surrounding private parcels [by
the cemetery], as well as U.S. Forest Service property adjacent
to the state marine park and the parcel that [the park] would be
expanding into.
1:19:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked how many people are buried in the
cemetery.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN responded that there are 32 identified and
marked gravesites and the oral records suggest there could be
some unmarked graves that are further outside the marked graves.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER inquired whether there is one in each
[of the plots of the survey].
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN answered no and stated that Representative
Rauscher is asking if there are gravesites within each of the
survey plots 1, 2, 11, and 12. She offered her belief that all
the gravesites are located in tract A. She explained that [the
survey] shows all the state land that is being transferred, but
that the cemetery is in a very concentrated area. She further
explained the survey shows a full township and some of the
township is federal land, not state land.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER offered his understanding that "each one
of those is a section in the township."
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN replied yes.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked about the need for all of that.
MR. KROES explained that the reason for asking for the full 537
acres is to make a continuous boundary for the current state
marine park because otherwise the cemetery parcel alone would be
a far outlier. This way, he continued, it is one big continuous
park that includes the cemetery.
1:22:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN inquired about the cemetery's size.
MR. KROES answered he isn't sure [the division] has that number,
but he estimates that it is roughly three-quarters to one acre.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN stated she supports the cemetery but
questions the need for 537 acres for something that is one acre.
MR. KROES displayed a map and noted the current state park is
depicted in purple. He pointed to the tract proposed for
addition and said this way it would be connected. To do
otherwise, he stated, the cemetery would just be an asterisk
with quite a bit of property in between that is Division of
Mining, Land and Water, which is also part of DNR. Since it is
already DNR state property, he said, the thought was to make it
all part of the state marine park and eliminate jurisdiction
confusion. He showed another map and pointed out the state
marine park, the tract proposed for addition, and the cemetery.
1:24:30 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR surmised that without a contiguous boundary there
would be a need to create some kind of access that could become
complicated, while if contiguous it would be uncomplicated.
MR. KROES replied that it would definitely make the whole
management plan, jurisdiction matters, and everything much more
clearly cut and easy to do.
1:25:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ offered her understanding that this
proposal is not a swap, but rather a transfer of lands from the
category of mining and other natural resources to the category
of parks.
MR. KROES responded that it would basically be a title change as
it would go from the DNR Division of Mining, Land and Water to
the DNR Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ asked whether there are any commercial
resources on this land that would then not be extractable if
this title change occurred.
MR. KROES answered no and explained that part of the reason for
including this parcel under state parks is to better protect it
because the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is
different in that it doesn't have commercial resource activities
on its parcels like the Division of Forestry does. This would
better protect the cemetery and adjacent lands, he added.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ stated it makes sense in that the
primary objective is to protect the cemetery. However, she
continued, she would like to have it said on the record that in
moving this land over to the park there is not an opportunity
cost that is being missed since it is property that wouldn't be
developed otherwise. All that is being done, she said, is to
protect an important resource for the Unangan people and there
is no other factor that could cloud the committee's decision.
MR. KROES replied correct.
1:27:27 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:27 p.m. to 1:29 p.m.
1:29:16 PM
RIC IANNOLINO, Spokesperson, Friends of Admiralty Island,
testified that he did the archival work to prepare for a visit
[to the cemetery on 5/20/17] by the survivors and officials of
the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association of St. Paul and St.
George. At this 75th memorial anniversary, he related, the
Russian Orthodox Church performed a blessing of the graves and a
12-foot-high cedar cross was put up.
MR. IANNOLINO stated he did his research at the state library
and archive and at the Sealaska Heritage Institute's archives.
He said that in a Sealaska archive he found a presentation by
Roy Peratrovich, the 1942 Grand President of the Alaska Native
Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. He paraphrased as
follows from Mr. Peratrovich's presentation:
Approximately 500 Natives of Aleut, Kenai, and Eskimo
descent have been evacuated from the Aleutian Islands
by the U.S. Navy to Killisnoo and Funter Bay as a war
safety measure. These people came with very little of
their personal goods, and living conditions will be
extremely difficult for them, especially this fall and
winter. It is our patriotic duty to offer every aid
and comfort to these fellow countrymen, a gift of
friendship, advice, and assistance. At the present
time secondhand fishing gear of all kinds is needed by
them to help them put up their winter food. U.S.
Employment Service ... is trying to find jobs for them
and their main interest right now is building
temporary homes in Killisnoo and Funter Bay.
MR. IANNOLINO pointed out that these people were, in actuality,
interned. He related that despite a court case that said they
couldn't be interned because they were U.S. citizens, they were
interned for a year from 1942 to 1943.
MR. IANNOLINO noted that Friends of Admiralty Island
participated in the 5/20/17 cemetery visit by the survivors and
members of their families. He said 100 people went to the
cemetery for the ceremony and a blessing of the graves by the
Russian Orthodox bishop. He stated it was called the "Healing
Path," and shared some of the words that were said at the
ceremony:
In 1942 the steamer Delarof sailed from the Pribilof
Islands towards Southeast Alaska, destination unknown.
Their cargo was 380 St. Paul ... villagers and 180 St.
George villagers and an additional 38 villagers from
Atka, all were being evacuated from the war zone. As
the Delarof entered the Gulf of Alaska, government
agents were scrambling to find housing for the
evacuees. The ship was radioed to drop off the St.
George and St. Paul villagers in Funter Bay and the
Atka villagers in Killisnoo next to Angoon. Over the
next several years their story was one of people whose
government forgot them, ignored them, and treated them
as less than human. ... Today we visit this site of
this dark chapter of Alaska history with some of the
survivors and family members to hear their stories.
We sail into the same harbor ... as did the Delarof 75
years ago. We walk the same beach path as did the
evacuees. We gather at the cemetery to remember...
MR. IANNOLINO interjected that 30-plus graves was mentioned in
the ceremony. But, he said, there were many infants and their
graves were not marked and so the thought is that there are
about 44 graves.
MR. IANNOLINO continued reciting from the Healing Path ceremony:
...the 30-plus evacuees ... who never returned to
their home villages. We come today to honor those
evacuees and families and acknowledge their suffering
and losses. We come today to remind all of us how
easily fear can result in creating victims, especially
of the less empowered. We come today to pledge never
again.
1:34:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK inquired about Mr. Iannolino's affiliation.
MR. IANNOLINO replied he is a Friends of Admiralty Island board
member and he did archival work for the aforementioned event.
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN requested a description of Friends of Admiralty
Island.
MR. IANNOLINO indicated that the next witness [Dr. Monteith]
would provide that information.
1:35:06 PM
DANIEL MONTEITH, PhD, President, Friends of Admiralty Island,
testified he has a PhD in anthropology and archeology and has
worked in Alaska for over 35 years. He thanked Representative
Hannan for sponsoring HB 122 and the committee for hearing it.
He said Friends of Admiralty Island is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to the research, education, and outreach for Admiralty
Island and Admiralty Island National Monument. He noted the
organization currently has over 350 members residing in the
communities of Angoon, Juneau, and other places.
DR. MONTEITH related that 290 people from St. Paul and 190
people from St. George were relocated to Funter Bay in June
1942. Over the course of a few years at that location, he said,
there were 32 documented deaths [plus undocumented] infant
mortality. The location is an Alaska historical site, he noted;
site Juneau 975.
DR. MONTEITH said HB 122 is very important in terms of the State
of Alaska protecting the Unangan historic cemetery site. Some
of the Unangan people in Killisnoo were buried there, he
related, and some of that has gone over to private lands and the
people cannot even put flowers on those graves because the
private residents say they will accuse them of trespass. So, he
continued, this is an important thing that is being done.
Transferring the cemetery from [the Division of Mining, Land and
Water] to the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation assures
its protection. He urged the passage of HB 122 and stated that
respect for one's ancestor is important to the respect of the
Unangan culture and their descendants today.
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN noted the committee's intent is not to move the
bill today. He explained there would be an opportunity for
amendments when the bill is taken up again at a later date.
1:38:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked how Funter Bay was chosen for holding
the Aleutian people.
DR. MONTEITH responded that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
was heading down to Southeast Alaska and was looking for
possible sites. In Funter Bay was an old cannery site and
structures left over from an old mining operation, he said, so
they utilized those places in Funter Bay and they also utilized
historic sites in Killisnoo. He related that they also went
down to Ward Cove where there were old Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC) structures and also to Wrangell and some of the
young teenagers went to Wrangell Institute. He pointed out that
[WWII] prisoners of war were sent to Excursion Inlet where there
was a cannery site.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK inquired whether any other structures remain
at the Funter Bay site besides the cemetery.
DR. MONTEITH answered yes, quite a few. But, he continued, they
do not have much integrity in terms of historical structures and
archeological sites. He explained that this is a very important
parcel because it is a cemetery and ancestors are buried there.
He said members could refer to a nice site inventory done by the
National Park Service and Charles Mobley, an archeologist and
historian, which has complete maps and a history of the federal
government's relations with these tribal entities.
1:40:47 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN stated he doesn't perceive any opposition to
the intent of the legislation, but that there is some question
over the amount of land being transferred. He asked Dr.
Monteith to speak to the transfer of nearly 540 acres to protect
one acre.
DR. MONTEITH replied he would defer to the Division of Parks and
Outdoor Recreation. He offered his understanding that the
philosophy is to have contiguous land from the state park and
not have any parcels of land that are incongruent in terms of
management and divisions. The bill, he said, would include that
entire area and not cause any corridors of differences in terms
of divisions.
1:41:43 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN inquired whether, from the perspective of the
intent being to protect and honor the ancestors, there is value
to having that much land or could the task be accomplished if
the bill were amended to a smaller amount.
DR. MONTEITH responded that an adequate buffer is needed to
protect the cemetery and to keep the integrity of the area from
being compromised, and this is what is trying to be done. He
added that Friends of Admiralty Island has been very involved
with the historical interpretation of that area and would
continue to dedicate money, time, and effort to helping with
interpretative signing of the area to make it a respectful area.
1:43:06 PM
MARTIN STEPETIN testified he is from St. Paul Island, Alaska,
and is a descendant of the Pribilof people who were brought to
Funter Bay. He said he now lives in Juneau and got involved
with Friends of Admiralty Island during a cruise in 2014. He
noted he already knew about this history, but got really caught
up in it as a result of this cruise. He thanked Representative
Hannan and the many people who helped get things to this point
of HB 122, which would finally protect the Funter Bay Unangan
cemetery. He continued as follows:
Most of my grandparents were taken to Funter Bay from
St. Paul Island in early 1942 and by God's will they
all survived. My dad was born here in Juneau in 1942
at the St. Ann's Hospital. ... I don't know how my
grandparents got over here to Juneau, but I'm thankful
they did, otherwise my dad might not have survived in
the cold and rundown camps in Funter Bay where many
perished. My maternal ... grandparents actually got
married while in Funter Bay. They survived. My mom
was born in 1951.
... A short timeline and three good points of why we
should pass this bill: In May 2014 my wife and I went
on a Friends of Admiralty cruise to Killisnoo near
Angoon where we would bless the graves and place a
plaque on the cemetery grounds in remembrance of 17
Atka Unangans who died before the federal government
would bring them home. The Atka cemetery is in bad
shape and still is to this day. After this emotional
cruise I got to meet all the board members of Friends
of Admiralty and this is when I learned the Atka
cemetery is on private land and the owners, although
they let us on the land to bless it, was unwilling to
engage with us about restoring the cemetery or any
kind of protection. This was frustrating and
heartbreaking. After joining Friends of Admiralty
board we quickly began researching the Funter Bay
cemetery trying to figure out who owns the land the
cemetery sits on. This was not an easy task ... We
had to do a lot of research. We eventually figured
out that the cemetery sits on Alaska state land and is
managed by the Department of Natural Resources, or
DNR. DNR didn't even know they managed the land that
the cemetery sits on; they had to look it up.
1:46:25 PM
... This is the first point I want to make: Unlike
the Atka cemetery or ... the other five locations the
Unangan Aleuts were kept, we can actually try to
protect this cemetery from future development,
logging, or use that would desecrate this sacred
place. Working with Friends of Admiralty, state
parks, DNR - who has been very cooperative and
accommodating through this whole process and we are so
thankful for that - we weighed our options for
protecting the cemetery. We learned there was a past
effort to protect the cemetery by Charles Mobley whose
book my friend just showed you. ... He tried to have
the cemetery grounds put on the National Historic
Registry, but the efforts failed because of the rules
of not allowing cemeteries on the National Historic
Registry and the stringent rules to prove historical
significance. We didn't want to try the National
Historic Registry again and recently learned that the
National Historic Registry doesn't actually provide
very much protection in the first place. For example,
the infamous Fourth Avenue Theater in Anchorage is on
the National Historic Registry, but is slated to be
torn down possibly. Our friends at DNR suggested an
Interagency Land Management Agreement, or ILMA. This
would be a great way to protect the land except ILMAs
can be changed, renegotiated, or completely canceled
at any time in the future by people who don't value
the cemetery as we do. So we knew that this would not
be a wise way to protect the cemetery permanently.
That's when Friends of Admiralty and I approached
Representative Sam Kito last year about getting the
cemetery legislatively protected. But it was already
too late into the session and we couldn't get a bill
started.
This is my second point: The cemetery is on state
land ... but this is not the state's fault. ... By
protecting this land we would recognize the history
with all the most important things about the history
.... Those who don't remember it are bound to repeat
it. ... My grandma, ... into her late 90s, ... would
say things like, "I hope it never happens again." ...
My third point is simple: The Funter Bay Marine Park
will be expanded a little, but it won't cost any money
to manage the land. The value of protecting the
social and historical significance of this land will
cement the history for good and we will never have to
repeat this history again.
1:50:23 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN noted that invited testimony on HB 122 was now
concluded and opened public testimony on the bill.
1:50:41 PM
NIKO SANGUINETTI, Curator of Collections and Exhibits, Juneau
City Museum, City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), testified she
became involved with this project when she first started
[employment with the museum]. She stated that as someone new in
Juneau and someone who didn't grow up in Alaska, she didn't know
about this history because it's an event that isn't often
covered in historical texts or in classrooms around the U.S.
When she took on her new post, she said, she was immediately
greeted by this large and ambitious project. She related that
as part of this project the City Museum is planning to do its
summer 2020 exhibition on the Funter Bay internment camps. In
preparing for this exhibition, she noted, much research was done
far in advance and she has benefitted greatly by Mr. Iannolino's
research and digging through the scant amount of records that
remain.
MS. SANGUINETTI pointed out that this [relocation] event was
characterized by a lot of confusion. Trying to iron out what
really happened has been very difficult, she said, because so
many agencies were involved and so many people were taken to
places that were never planned to house humans at any point.
There is now this opportunity to protect this cemetery, she
continued, which is the resting place for people who were moved
without their consent and without knowing where they were going
to end up when they boarded that ship.
MS. SANGUINETTI addressed the questions about the space between
the cemetery and the state park. She stated that [the goal is]
to ensure that future generations of people will be able to
visit this site unimpeded, that it is going to be protected in
perpetuity, and that the area around it will also be protected.
As many people know with historic sites, she continued, the
historic site itself can be protected, but if right next door
things are being dug up and the ground is being shaken, a lot of
unseen damage is being caused that can create trouble later on.
Therefore, that connection between the parkland and the cemetery
land ensures protecting the cemetery as well as the people's
right to visit it and visit their ancestors, and to continue to
do so for many years to come.
MS SANGUINETTI thanked Representative Hannan for putting forth
HB 122, the committee for hearing it, and the wonderful team
that worked on this for many years long before she was able to
join it.
1:54:03 PM
CHUCK SMYTHE, PhD, Director, History and Culture, Sealaska
Heritage Institute, testified in favor of HB 122. He said he
got to know the significance of this site in 1981 when he first
went to St. Paul and St. George and heard firsthand from people
whose parents were there or who were there themselves. He
related that they told of how they were brought to this cannery
and the experience they went through - how there were holes in
the walls and ceilings, blankets were used to separate the
families' quarters, it was very cold, there wasn't much food,
and that without the help of the Alaska Native Brotherhood
(ANB), they might have starved during that time period. He
further related that they talked about how they were given two
or three hours to gather up their belongings when the ships came
to pick them up. He said this cemetery is a very important
significant site historically for the people of the Pribilof
Islands.
DR. SMYTHE addressed the question about whether there should be
just one acre, or a larger land area set aside for this.
Speaking from his 12 years of experience working for the
National Park Service, he said the big difference between
protecting a one-acre site and a larger site in terms of
funding, recognition of the site, and ways to protect it, is
that a larger land area provides a more significant type of
recognition that enhances the ability to protect an area.
1:56:59 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN stated he didn't mean to imply that anyone on
the committee was seeking to set aside only one acre. Rather,
he said, he was trying to get a sense of whether the whole 540
acres or somewhere in between would be sufficient to protect it
from adjacent development. He asked whether the full 540 acres
is the minimum Dr. Smythe would have in mind.
DR. SMYTHE replied he doesn't have an opinion on that.
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN stated the bill would be taken up again and the
committee would consider the acreage.
1:57:47 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
1:58:01 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR thanked Mr. Stepetin for sharing his emotional
story. She said that whenever [the committee] works on righting
the wrongs of the past, it is among the most important things
that can ever be done.
1:58:42 PM
REED STOOPS testified he is before the committee as an
individual. He said he bought the old cannery site 30 years ago
and it is in the middle of the property adjacent to the
cemetery. He stated he has used the property half a dozen times
a year since purchasing it and is therefore familiar with the
history and current status of the cemetery site. He noted he
once worked for DNR dealing with land management, so he is
familiar with that perspective as well. He stated he supports
HB 122 and that it is a good idea.
MR. STOOPS discussed the size of the parcel. He said there is
no other commercial value of that property and that it is de
facto recreation. About 20 cabin sites are in Funter Bay, he
stated, that are used for recreational purposes mostly by people
from Juneau or other places in Southeast Alaska. He related
that many commercial fishermen, recreational boaters, kayakers,
and campers use Funter Bay and the areas that are privately
owned. He pointed out that while 500 acres sounds like a lot,
it is scattered along the shoreline and not very deep. He
further pointed out that there is no commercial timber or mining
potential there and it is already heavily used for recreation
and is surrounded by national monument. Therefore, he said, he
doesn't think any economic opportunities would be foregone by
protecting the area immediately around the cemetery.
MR. STOOPS addressed Representative Tuck's question. He said
some of the old buildings are still there on his property and he
saves what he can save, but a lot of them were too far-gone to
save. He stated that the old bunkhouse where the Aleut people
lived was barely standing when he first purchased the property
and has now fallen down. He said he couldn't imagine the living
conditions for the people who lived there as the bunkhouse
wasn't much bigger than the committee room, there was no
insulation, and apparently 30 or 40 people were living in it.
It was not something anyone would want to endure, he added. He
urged the committee to support HB 122.
2:01:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER inquired whether Mr. Stoops' property is
considered private land.
MR. STOOPS responded yes. He explained that the old cannery
site, old mining site, and a few other trade manufacture sites
were patented back in the early 1900s and have all been sold and
developed into recreational cabin sites.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER offered his understanding that right now
it is a recreational area.
MR. STOOPS answered yes. It is used heavily by mostly Southeast
Alaskans, he said. A lot of boaters go up the bay and many
commercial fishermen use it to get out of the weather or to
spend the night while fishing, he continued. He added that many
people go there for the weekend to go salmon fishing and camping
on the beach or sleeping on their boats.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked how many private properties are in
Funter Bay.
MR. STOOPS estimated there are 20 private tracts, all of which
have cabins on them.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER inquired whether the private properties
are close to the park that would be made contiguous or whether
the properties go the other way.
MR. STOOPS replied that the bay is about a mile deep with the
majority of properties on the south side of the bay and a few in
the back. One property is contiguous with the cemetery, he
said, and his property is nine lots and almost next to the
cemetery. There is plenty of private property in the bay that
has already been developed, he advised, and what is left is
probably best left to public use because if the rest were sold
the public wouldn't be able to use any of the bay.
2:03:06 PM
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN closed public testimony on HB 122 after
ascertaining no one else wished to testify.
CO-CHAIR LINCOLN held over HB 122.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB122 Sponsor Statement 4.8.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 ver U 4.8.19.PDF |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Sectional Analysis ver U 4.8.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Fiscal Note -DNR-PKS 4.13.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Supporting Document - Land survey 4.14.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Supporting Document - Land patent 4.14.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Supporting Document - Presentation by Rep. Hannan 4.14.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Supporting Document - Friends of Admiralty Letter of Support 4.13.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB122 Supporting Document - Juneau Area State Parks CAB 4.13.19.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HRES Oil and Gas Tax Presentation - DOR 4.15.2019.pdf |
HRES 4/15/2019 1:00:00 PM |
Oil and Gas Tax |