02/15/1994 03:15 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 184                                                           
                                                                               
       "An  Act   making  a   special  appropriation  to   the                 
       Department of  Transportation and Public  Facilities to                 
       determine the  cost of  acquiring real  property within                 
                                                                               
                                1                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       the  right-of-way of  the  proposed  extension  of  the                 
       Alaska  Railroad  from Eielson  Air  Force Base  to the                 
       Alaska-Canada  border; and  providing for  an effective                 
       date."                                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES stressed that the legislation                 
  would determine the cost of acquiring property rights within                 
  the right-of-way  of the  proposed extension  of the  Alaska                 
  Railroad from Eielson Air Force Base to the Canadian border.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative James provided members with AMENDMENT 1 (copy                 
  on file).   She explained  the Department of  Transportation                 
  and Public  Facilities requested that the following language                 
  be  changed; delete ", a road, an  oil, natural gas, or coal                 
  slurry  pipeline, or  an electrical  transmission line"  and                 
  insert "or construction  of a transportation, communication,                 
  or transmission facility".                                                   
                                                                               
  Representative Foster  MOVED to  ADOPT AMENDMENT  1.   There                 
  being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                       
                                                                               
  Representative Brown asked  why the  railroad is not  paying                 
  for  the  study.   Representative  James explained  that the                 
  corridor would not be just for the railroad.  She emphasized                 
  that  construction of  a  transportation, communication,  or                 
  transmission facility would be included in the study.                        
                                                                               
  In  response  to  a  question  by   Representative  Parnell,                 
  Representative James  clarified that  the corridor  is state                 
  owned.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Representative Brown noted  that the legislation  would only                 
  authorize the study.   Representative James agreed  that the                 
  cost  of  acquiring  the private  interest  in  the existing                 
  corridor will be studied.                                                    
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault MOVED to report CSHB 184 (FIN) out                 
  of Committee with individual recommendations.                                
                                                                               
  CSSSHB 184 (FIN)  was reported out  of Committee with a  "do                 
  pass" recommendation.