04/12/2023 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

            SB  92-STATE OWNERSHIP OF SUBMERGED LAND                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:39:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR BISHOP  announced the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
92  "An  Act  relating  to  state  ownership  of  submerged  land                                                               
underlying navigable water within  the boundaries of and adjacent                                                               
to federal areas; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:39:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR BISHOP opened public testimony on SB 92.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:39:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CRAIG  COMPEAU, representing  self, Fairbanks,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in support  of SB  92. He  pointed out that  the state  was given                                                               
ownership  of  submerged  lands at  statehood,  that  there  were                                                               
nearly  one  million miles  of  river  in  Alaska, and  that  the                                                               
federal   government  had   recognized  just   nine  percent   as                                                               
navigable. He commented that at  this rate it would take hundreds                                                               
of years for the federal  government to designate all the rivers.                                                               
He  opined that  it was  time for  the state  to say  enough. The                                                               
landmark  Sturgeon decision  hasn't changed  the mindset  in some                                                               
federal  agencies; no  change has  been made  to the  US National                                                               
Park  Service (USNPS)  regulation  on the  use  of hovercraft  in                                                               
Alaska. SB  92 makes it  clear that  the state is  finally taking                                                               
control of what was promised at statehood.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR BISHOP  asked him  to send the  testimony to  his office                                                               
for distribution because some of it was broken.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:42:48 PM                                                                                                                    
MIKE TINKER,  representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
support of SB 92. He stated  that he had been involved in natural                                                               
resources issues for  decades. He characterized SB 92  as a fight                                                               
against  federal overreach.  He mentioned  the Sturgeon  decision                                                               
and  noted that  there  had  been no  changes  in regulation.  He                                                               
voiced  support for  the systematic  approach  and the  committee                                                               
substitute (CS) that was adopted during the previous meeting.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:44:38 PM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR BISHOP  closed public  testimony on SB  92 and  held the                                                               
bill for further consideration.