04/15/2000 03:15 PM Senate FIN

     CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 290(RES)                                                                                             
     "An Act  relating to pipeline  carriers of  natural gas                                                                    
     produced  from the  North Slope  of Alaska  and to  the                                                                    
     intrastate regulation  by the Regulatory  Commission of                                                                    
     Alaska  of pipelines  and pipeline  facilities of  that                                                                    
     natural gas."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
LORALI   MEIER,   Staff,   Representative   Beverly   Masek,                                                                    
testified that the  purpose of HB 290 is to  make changes to                                                                    
existing statute,  which are needed  to get the  gas product                                                                    
to the  regulatory market. Before  any natural  gas pipeline                                                                    
can  succeed,  certain  amendments   to  the  current  State                                                                    
statute are necessary.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
HB 290 would amend the Pipeline  Act to define a North Slope                                                                    
natural gas  pipeline, clarify the Regulatory  Commission of                                                                    
Alaska's  (RCS's)  authority  in regulating  a  North  Slope                                                                    
natural  gas   pipeline  extends  only  to   the  intrastate                                                                    
transportation of gas through such  a system, define a fair,                                                                    
predictable  and timely  process  to  identify and  dedicate                                                                    
sufficient  initial intrastate  capacity  in  a North  Slope                                                                    
natural  gas  pipeline and  to  establish  the criteria  for                                                                    
needed pipeline system  expansions over the life  of a North                                                                    
Slope natural  gas pipeline system to  accommodate increased                                                                    
demand for in-state gas supplies.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Tape: SFC - 00 #92, Side B    4:08 PM                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Adams  MOVED to  report  CS  HB  290 (FIN)  out  of                                                                    
Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                                                                    
accompanying  fiscal notes.   There  being NO  OBJECTION, it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CS HB 290 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "do                                                                        
pass" recommendation and with fiscal notes by Department of                                                                     
Revenue, Department of Natural Resources, and Department of                                                                     
Community & Economic Development.