Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
03/24/2023 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB90 | |
| SB34 | |
| SB87 | |
| HJR10 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 68 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 90 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 34 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 87 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 72 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HJR 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HJR 10-NAT'L PARK SERVICE; HUNTING IN PRESERVES
3:43:28 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of HOUSE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 10 Disapproving the proposed rule by the National
Park Service limiting non-subsistence hunting methods; and
urging the National Park Service to withdraw the rule.
CO-CHAIR BISHOP noted that HJR 10 was the companion to SJR 8
that the committee heard on 3/20/23. He invited Representative
Cronk to introduce the legislation.
3:44:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE CRONK, District 36, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HJR 10, stated that this
resolution lays out the history of Alaska's right to manage its
fish and wildlife resources, including the most recent erosion
of those rights. HJR 10 expresses strong objection to the
National Park Service prohibition of long-standing hunting
practices that are allowed under state law. He opined that
regardless of differing opinions on management practices, there
should be no disagreement about the state's right to manage its
own fish and wildlife resources.
3:45:08 PM
At ease
3:45:15 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP reconvened the meeting and opened public
testimony on HJR 10.
3:45:29 PM
NANCY BALE, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
opposition to HJR 10. She relayed that she and her husband built
their cabin in the Bush and lived there for 20 years. They were
among the last Alaskans to obtain their land under the Homestead
Act. Based on her experience, she supports the proposed National
Park Service rule for preserves and believes it is fair. She
asked the committee to consider what she believes would happen
under the rule.
1) The state would continue to manage hunting on preserves. Just
some activities such as bear-baiting, hunting wolves in summer,
hunting bear sows and cubs together, and hunting certain caribou
would be outlawed. The federal government would manage
subsistence hunting in preserves as it does now.
2) Case law shows that the federal government can reasonably
regulate on federal land. She believes the proposed rule is
reasonable. It doesn't ban close to 50 percent of activities
that currently occur on preserves, which represent just six
percent of Alaska's landmass.
3) Alaskans will still have plenty of opportunity to hunt on
preserves. An identical rule that was in place from 2015 to 2020
created no serious conflicts.
MS. BALE concluded that she is an Alaskan who likes the proposed
NPS rule. She urged the committee not to forward either SJR 8 or
HJR 10.
3:48:09 PM
NICOLE SCHMITT, Executive Director, Alaska Wildlife Alliance
(AWA), Anchorage, Alaska, testified in opposition to HJR 10. She
cautioned that resolutions like HJR 10 take biologically
informed rule-making processes and elevate them to political
grands. The issues in the rule are nuanced and specific and they
should be considered. She agreed with the previous testimony
that the NPS rule will still allow predator hunting. She pointed
out that predator control and predator hunting are very
different in both statute and regulation.
MS. SCHMITT stated that the rule does not change the ability for
Alaskans to present the Board of Game and federal Subsistence
Board with proposals for different hunting practices. The rule
makes certain practices unlawful on preserves, but there will
still be ample opportunities for Alaskans to hunt. Federally
qualified subsistence hunters will continue to be able to hunt
on preserves and non-federally qualified users don't have that
ability under current regulations. She encouraged the committee
to look dispassionately at the details of the National Park
Service concerns about bearbaiting stations and public safety
and how the agency came to its conclusions. She opined that the
rule is based on years of biological and agency review. She
urged the committee not to support HJR 10 and instead address
any concern about the proposed NPS rule during the public
comment period that closes next Monday.
3:51:05 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on HJR 10. Finding no
questions or comments, he solicited a motion.
3:51:17 PM
CO-CHAIR GIESSEL moved to report HJR 10, work order 33-LS0562\A,
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note(s).
3:51:33 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP found no objection and HJR 10 was reported from
the Senate Resources Standing Committee.