Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
02/05/2020 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB155 | |
| HB122 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 122 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 122-FUNTER BAY MARINE PARK: UNANGAN CEMETERY
4:49:33 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE announced the consideration of 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."
4:49:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SARA HANNAN, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, sponsor of HB 122, explained that the bill will move a
parcel of land in Funter Bay, which is 15 miles west of Juneau
on the Mansfield Peninsula, but a long ways away in time and
history.
She referenced slides 1, 2, and 3 from her presentation on HB
122 as follows:
• HB 122 will:
o Provide protection of the Unagax Cemetery in Funter
Bay for future generations;
o Transfer cemetery site and surrounding area from
Division of Land Mining and Water (DNR) to the
Division of Parks and Recreation (DNR) - ;
o Transferred land will become part of, and continued to
be maintained by, as part of the Funter Bay Marine
Park.
• HB 122-Funter Bay Unagax Cemetery Map, approximately 30
miles from Juneau.
She said an existing state marine park in Funter Bay, created in
1983, would add the parcel of land. The land is currently under
the management of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), Division of Mining, Land and Water. The bill will
transfer the parcel into the existing marine park. The Funter
Bay Marine Park is an undeveloped state park with no plan,
intention, or budget to promote usage or visitation to the
Unangan Cemetery.
She detailed that the cemetery on the parcel of land in Funter
Bay comes about starting in World War II. On June 3 and 4 of
1942, the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor. Three days later the
Japanese invaded Kiska Island that resulted in the capture of
U.S. Navy personnel. The following day the Japanese captured the
native residents of Attu Island, those citizens remained in
Japan as prisoners of war.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN said on June 12, 1942, Commanding General
Simon Buckner in charge of the U.S. Army in Alaska, issued
orders to remove the residents of St. Paul and St. George in the
Pribilof Islands and to burn their homes in advance of the
enemy's movement. Residents had an hour to gather belongings and
board the vessel. On June 16, 1942, the transport ship USAT
Delarof left the Pribilof Islands with 560 people from St. Paul
and St. George. The U.S. Navy at that point did not know where
the evacuated Alaskans were going to. The villagers of the
Pribilof Islands arrived at Funter Bay on June 24, 1942. The
villagers occupied an abandoned cannery that had not been in
operation for over 10 years. The cannery was never meant to be a
year-round location.
4:52:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN detailed that over the course of the
summer of 1942, there were additional voyages form other
communities to a total of six relocation camps settled in
Southeast Alaska. However, Funter Bay was by far the worst
circumstances with the highest death rate.
She explained that technically in Funter Bay, there were two
relocation camps. One at the site of the old cannery and one at
the site of the old mine, but the two camps shared the cemetery.
There was little access to town, to services, there were no
residents year-round in Funter Bay at that point. Of course, the
rain forest environment in Funter Bay is dramatically different
than the Pribilof Islands. By the end of that summer it was
clear, babies had been born and a cemetery required. Today,
there are approximately 30 known marked graves, but many more
graves are unmarked.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN noted that there are no cemeteries at the
other relocation camps, except in Killisnoo. The cemetery in
Killisnoo is on private land and there is no intention from the
state to every use it. She said a few years ago the descendants
of the Killisnoo relocation camp cemetery did not receive
approval to access to the land. The denial escalated what has
been a 78-year journey to protect the cemetery and the grave
sites.
She remarked that legislators know that they carry water for
somebody else's work most of the time. She said there are many
people who have worked on protecting the ancestral grave sites
for decades and the legislation is a very satisfactory zero
fiscal note way to achieve that. There is no intent to develop
and no additional cost to the state, but it would mean that
descendants would be assured that those grave sites would never
be developed, and they would always have access to visit their
ancestors who are buried there.
4:55:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN addressed slide 4, Funter Bay SMP, as
follows:
• Funter Bay Shoreline Master Program (SMP) map
o A01 - Existing Funter Bay Marine Park. 162 acres.
o A02 - Areas to be added by HB 122
o A03 - Island in bay to be added by HB 122
o Total acreage added - 251 acres
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN noted that questions arose in the House
that the land transfer is bigger than the cemetery's borders.
DNR said they preferred not to have a little carveout that they
would be responsible for and requested the land transfer to
State Parks.
4:56:35 PM
She referenced slide 5, photos of Old Bunk House used for
housing and a headstone of 18-month-old child that died at camp.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN said the Division of Parks & Outdoor
Recreation is in attendance and is supportive of the transfer of
land as well as a group called The Friends of Admiralty Island.
Much of Admiralty Island is part of the Admiralty Island
National Monument. Both the Funter Bay and the Killisnoo
relocation camps are on Admiralty Island. The Friends of
Admiralty Island have worked with descendants of both camps'
cemeteries for a number of years to seek federal protection
under monument status, but the request did not meet the
threshold for monument protection.
She displayed slide 6, Resettlement Sailings Map in 1942:
• USAT Delarof, June 17-24 to Funter Bay Cannery, Funter Bay
Mine, Killisnoo near Angoon.
• SS Columbia, July 3-6 to Wrangell Institute on Wrangell
Island and Ward Lake near Ketchikan.
• SS Alaska, July 26 to Wrangell Institute on Wrangell Island
and Burnett Inlet on Etolin Island.
SENATOR COGHILL asked if the bill would impact any potential
mining is Funter Bay.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN answered that there is an abandoned mine
located on the southern shore of the bay. The land transfer does
not include the abandoned mine. It remains as a private holding.
4:58:01 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE asked why the bill includes an island transfer.
He remarked that the island transfer seems inconsistent with the
intent of the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN explained that DNR probably included the
island as part of the marine park that already exists.
SENATOR GIESSEL noted that similar bills ultimately exhibited
property description errors. She asked if the property
descriptions for the bill were doublechecked.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN answered yes. She explained that due to an
amendment on the House floor, DNR verified that the current
coordinates are accurate.
SENATOR GIESSEL replied that was reassuring.
5:00:36 PM
RICKY GEASE, Director, Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation,
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Anchorage, Alaska,
introduced Superintendent Preston Kroes from Southeast who will
address committee members in person. He said Mr. Kroes has been
working with Representative Hannan on the bill and can fill in
specifics.
5:00:54 PM
PRESTON KROES, Superintendent-Southeast Area, Division of Parks
& Outdoor Recreation, Juneau, Alaska, said he is going to
address some of concerns that committee members have already
voiced with Representative Hannan.
SENATOR COGHILL asked for an explanation of land footprints for
both the cemetery and the land that is going to become a park.
MR. KROES answered that cemetery is approximately an acre and a
half. The reason for the larger parcel is that the Division of
Mining, Land, and Water asked that the Division of Parks &
Outdoor Recreation take over management. Not transferring the
land would have resulted in bits and pieces of acreage to manage
by the Division of Mining, Land, and Water.
SENATOR COGHILL asked how the division plans to manage the land,
are forest resources present, and will the land be multi-use.
MR. KROES answered that state parks are generally multi-use and
does not allow resource development, which is part of the reason
why becoming part of the state park will protect the cemetery.
The bill states that the management for the parcels will be
identical to the state marine park.
5:03:19 PM
SENATOR COGHILL asked if the land transfer requires a park plan.
MR. KROES answered that the division would like to, but it is
not a priority. The division has other parks with greater
accessibility that do need plans. The division will absorb and
manage the land as it currently does. The division will develop
or advertise the land. The division will answer questions if
people inquire about the park. The division will visit the land
a minimum of once a year to check on the park unit and adjust
any management if needed.
SENATOR COGHILL asked if there will be fishing restrictions in
Funter Bay.
MR. KROES answered no. He said the division does not plan on
adding or changing any regulations. Any changes attempted in the
future will strictly be to help protect the historic cemetery
site.
SENATOR KIEHL pointed out that state marine parks have a
specific provision in statute that parks may not place any
restrictions on hunting and fishing beyond what the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game places for the surrounding game
management unit.
5:05:01 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE noted that the committee will hold the bill to
look at any impact on land and possible opportunities. He
remarked that evaluations often did not happen in his area for
lands turned into parks. He said he strongly supports preserving
the cemetery and bringing it into park management. He conceded
that he is a little bit concerned at this point about the other
pieces of property. He emphasized that there should be no alarm
because he just wants to learn more.
MR. KROES addressed some of Chair Micciche's concerns. He
referenced a map on a previous slide that showed the U.S. Forest
Service surrounded most of the land. The U.S. Forest Service
land already has trails developed that interact with the state
marine park and the A-2 parcel. The parcel is relatively small,
and the historic park will provide a good buffer. He said
private landowners in the area will testify in support.
MR. KROES addressed Chair Micciche's previous comment and noted
that part of the reason the division was also accepting the full
251 acres transfer was to help connect the parks instead of
having a bunch of disjointed parcels.
5:07:24 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE opened public testimony.
5:08:20 PM
DANIEL MONTEITH, Board President, Friends of Admiralty Island,
Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 122. He said the
organization has 350 to 400 members who represent many different
communities in Southeast Alaska from Juneau, Angoon, Hoonah, and
areas surrounding Admiralty Island.
He explained that the Friends of Admiralty Island became
involved because one of its missions is research, education, and
outreach of Admiralty Island and the monument. In 2014 the
organization took the public to view the Aleut burial sites at
the Killisnoo cemetery. In 2017, kind of the seedling for HB
122, the organization sponsored a trip called A Pathway to
Healing to Funter Bay, and that is where he met his colleague,
Mr. Stepetin, who is also a board member for the Friends of
Admiralty Island. The organization became very interested in a
pathway for preserving and protected the Funter Bay site when
members realized the location was on state land.
He said the Friends of Admiralty Island and the Division of
Parks & Outdoor Recreation are committed to working together.
The organization will also have an interpretive exhibit at the
City Museum in Juneau. The organization is committed to helping
provide funding for personnel to conduct research and outreach
on interpretive panels with the division for the historic
cemetery site.
He remarked that as an educator in Alaska, furthering the bill
is important in terms of protecting the Unangan's historic
cemetery. He said respecting one's ancestors is important to the
respect of the Unangan culture, descendants, and people today.
5:11:49 PM
MARTIN STEPETIN SR., Board Member, Friends of Admiralty Island,
Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 122. He said he is
from St. Paul and a direct descendent of interned individuals at
Funter Bay. He expressed that the bill is near and dear to his
heart. With Friends of Admiralty Island working on different
ways to protect the lands.
MR. STEPETIN explained that he learned about the relocation
lands when he went to Killisnoo on the Friends of Admiralty
Island trip in 2014. He said the cemetery at Killisnoo is on
private property and in terrible shape. The landowners made it
clear that they do not want anything to do with trying to do
anything with their land, and rightfully so. He remarked that
because the cemetery in Killisnoo is on private land, visitation
and the tending of 17 burial sites of people from Atka will
never happen. The biggest difference is the cemetery in Funter
Bay is on state land.
He emphasized that the State of Alaska had nothing to do with
the resettlement camps and is not at fault. He said the fault
lies with the federal government. He noted that his father was
born in Douglas, Alaska in 1942. He said he did not know how his
grandparents got to Douglas, but luckily, they did because many
other babies died in Funter Bay.
MR. STEPETIN stated that the purpose of the bill is to recognize
the history and significance of the Aleuts and Unangans and
their time in Southeast Alaska. It was a terrible time and to
honor that history, this is now not just Unangan history, it's
not just State of Alaska's history, this is American history
that now recognized on state land.
CHAIR MICCICHE remarked that the bill is very important. He said
he is supportive and assumes that the committee is supportive of
honoring and respecting Mr. Stepetin's ancestors.
5:15:10 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE held HB 122 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 122 v. U.A 1.28.2020.PDF |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Sponsor Statement 1.28.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Sectional Analysis V. U.A 1.28.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Explanation of Changes V. U.A 1.28.2020.pdf |
SFIN 3/17/2020 9:00:00 AM SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Fiscal Note - DNR-PKS-04-13-19.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Presentation by Rep. Hannan-Senate Resources.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| HB 122 Written Testimony Received By 1.28.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
HB 122 |
| SB 155 SS v. K 2.3.2020.PDF |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 SS Sponsor Statement v. K 2.3.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 SS Sectional Analysis v. K 2.3.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 SS Fiscal Note DNR-MLW-2-4-20.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 SS Letter of Support - Council of Alaska Producers 2.5.2020.pdf |
SRES 2/5/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |