Legislature(2001 - 2002)
05/05/2001 03:42 PM House FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE BILL NO. 185
An Act relating to fees for certain uses of state water
and the accounting and appropriation of those fees;
relating to authorizations for the temporary use of
state water; making other amendments to the Alaska
Water Use Act; and providing for an effective date.
Representative Davies MOVED to ADOPT 22-GH1087\P, Luckhaupt,
5/04/01, as the version of the bill before the Committee.
[Copy on File]. There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.
BOB LOEFFLER, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MINING, LAND AND WATER,
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, commented that the bill was
only one part of a solution for the Department. The Water
Management program has had a significant funding reduction
in the past several years. Currently, there are 3.5
employees running the program and the resulting consequences
is a backlog of 6,700 claims for water rights and 3,000
total actions including transfers, amendments and permit
extensions.
Mr. Loeffler addressed possible solutions:
· Streamlining the system. The Department cannot
pretend that they have enough funds to operate the
system, as it existed in the early 1980's. The
Department is proposing regulations to streamline
65% of the caseload and concentrate staff on
larger water flows and where there could be
potential for problems.
· There is $300 thousand dollars in the House and
Senate operating budgets. Even a streamlined
system could not be run statewide with four
employees. An increment consisting of $300
thousand dollars has passed the House and Senate
operating budgets.
· A long-term income source. The proposed bill will
provide that the Department may change the
reasonable direct costs of providing a service,
and would place strict limitations on what the
Department could charge to assure the public that
they will not raise fees unreasonably.
Mr. Loeffler listed a summary of bill's purpose:
· Fee limitations and
· Temporary water use authorizations.
Vice-Chair Bunde voiced concern with the large backlog of
cases. Mr. Loeffler replied that it would take four to five
years to address that size backlog. The backlog will be
prioritized, as some of the cases are not time critical.
Representative Hudson advised that funds had been added back
to address that backlog. He hoped the legislation would
help the situation and then the Department could take action
on the water permits. He believed it would take about 30
days.
Representative Lancaster inquired why no new employees would
be starting in FY02. Mr. Loeffler explained that the
employee in FY02 had already been included in the operating
budget. He added that the bill has a one-year sunset, which
he did not understand why it had been placed on the bill in
the House Judiciary committee.
Co-Chair Williams pointed out that there had been concern
voiced with extending that sunset. He added that the
Department acknowledged that they would be able to "live
with it" as currently written.
Representative Davies MOVED to ADOPT Amendment #1. [Copy on
File]. He noted the language would insert the phrase, "and
a water conservation fee under AS 46.15.035". Vice-Chair
Bunde OBJECTED for purposes of discussion.
Representative Davies explained that the amendment would
provide for technical clean up. Vice-Chair Bunde WITHDREW
the OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION, Amendment
#1 was adopted.
Representative Foster MOVED to report CS HB 185 (FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and with the
accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
CS HB 185 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with a new fiscal note by
Department of Natural Resources.
Recess: 4:05 p.m.
Reconvene 4:15 p.m.
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