Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
03/30/2022 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB121 | |
| HJR34 | |
| HB304 | |
| SB239|| SB240 | |
| SB240 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 304 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 209 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 148 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HJR 34 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 239 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 240 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 121-PFAS USE & REMEDIATION; FIRE/WATER SAFETY
3:35:50 PM
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE announced the consideration of SENATE BILL
NO. 121 "An Act relating to pollutants; relating to
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; relating to the
duties of the Department of Environmental Conservation; relating
to firefighting substances; relating to thermal remediation of
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination; and
providing for an effective date."
He noted that there was discussion during previous hearings
about reducing the cost of the bill and the potential to hold
the federal government responsible. The committee worked with
the sponsor and he agreed to changes to achieve those goals.
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE solicited a motion to adopt the work draft
committee substitute (CS).
3:36:30 PM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt CSSB 121, work order 32-LS0001\W,
as the working document.
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE objected for purposes of discussion.
3:36:58 PM
SENATOR JESSE KIEHL, speaking as sponsor, reviewed the following
changes from version G to version W of SB 121:
Explanation of Changes: ver. G to ver. W
Section 1:
46.03.340: Removes blood testing requirements.
He reminded the committee that the primary focus of the bill was
preventing future releases of PFAS to the water and environment
in Alaska. Based on old analyses, he offered his estimate that
removing the blood testing requirements would reduce the fiscal
note by more than $1 million. He clarified that this was his
estimate of the fiscal note that the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) would subsequently provide.
46.03.345(a): Technical fix to clarify the liability
provisions apply to providing clean drinking water.
46.03.345(b): Adds a new provision saying a government
entity that required the release of PFAS-containing
foam is liable for drinking water testing and
providing clean drinking water in the areas of the
release.
SENATOR KIEHL stated that this new provision was the second
large change reflected in the CS. He added that the CS also
makes a technical fix to clarify that the liability provisions
apply to providing clean drinking water throughout the process.
This corrects an error in the original draft. The second small
fix updates the effective date.
Section 5: Updates the effective date.
3:38:49 PM
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE withdrew his objection; finding no further
objections, CSSB 21(RES) was adopted as the working document.
SENATOR STEVENS asked why blood tests were removed from the
committee substitute since those seemingly would be an important
component in protecting the public. He asked who will pay for
the tests if not the state.
SENATOR KIEHL answered that the cost of blood tests is
significant and DEC expressed concern about its ability to
recover all the costs from responsible parties, which was the
only time the bill would have a fiscal impact. It was a
difficult decision to remove that provision and it may be a
disappointment to some. However, it's important to note that the
state does not require parties responsible for other
contamination to provide blood tests for those contaminants as a
consistent regular requirement. Perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) chemicals would have been
treated differently and the compromise was to remove that
provision from the bill.
3:40:19 PM
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE found no further questions or comments and
he solicited the will of the committee.
3:40:30 PM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to report CSSB 121, work order 32-
LS0001\W, from committee with attached [fiscal notes] and
individual recommendations.
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE asked Senator Kiehl whether he was okay with
the bill moving from committee.
SENATOR KIEHL responded that he would live with it.
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE found no objection and CSSB 121(RES) was
reported from committee.