Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
03/14/2012 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB123 | |
| SB181 | |
| SB159 | |
| SB205 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 159 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 181 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 205 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 159-SUSITNA STATE FOREST
3:44:47 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 159 to be up for consideration [SB
159, 27-LS1179\M was before the committee].
3:45:01 PM
SENATOR LINDA MENARD, sponsor of SB 159, introduced her chief of
staff and said they were working on a committee substitute (CS)
that would address two items. First, it will exempt the private
inholdings that lie within the proposed forest boundaries and
secondly, it will address intent language that Senator Stedman
spoke to during Monday's meeting.
MIKE ROVITO, chief of staff for Senator Menard, said he had no
testimony and was ready for public testimony.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER found no further testimony off net.
3:46:26 PM
NICK STEEN, member, Ruffed Grouse Society-Southcentral Chapter,
MatSu, AK, supported SB 159, but proposed modifying the
boundaries to include all unencumbered state lands draining into
Cook Inlet between Beluga Lake and the southern boundaries of
the Denali National and State Parks. He explained that currently
the bill is comprised of 14 non-contiguous parcels of land and
keeping this land in state ownership under the forest
designation is important to guaranteeing continued space for
recreational use of ever expanding population centers in
Southcentral and for wildlife, and to retain the character of
the land most people came to Alaska to experience.
He said a state forest is the least restrictive land designation
that can be managed for everyone's benefit with the exception of
those wishing to see land transferred to private ownership. As
the population of Southcentral increases, the recreational
demand can no longer be met if land is continued being released
into private ownership.
MR. STEEN said numerous land disposal programs throughout the
area have been considered and much of the waterfront land with
easy access points has already been ceded to private ownership.
These private inholdings will make access for timber extraction
difficult.
He stated that interspersing additional transfers of land to
private ownership within the land designated for forest
management makes no sense at all. Under the recently enacted
Susitna Matanuska Area Plan (SMAP) some of the areas that he is
requesting to be designated as a state forest are slated for
land disposal for cabin sites or agriculture.
Transfer of land into private ownership as envisioned by the
drafters of our state constitution is laudable, Mr. Steen
stated, but as Governor Hammond said, it is the ultimate lock
up. Private ownership denies public use of the specific parcel
that frequently controls access to adjacent public lands, and a
NIMBY attitude influences management of public lands within view
of that parcel. This NIMBY attitude impacts the state's ability
to manage timber resources, wildlife resources, and mining
activities. Those who drafted the constitution didn't ever
envision the population growth that Alaska has recently
experienced. A forest designation for this entire area, even
though it is not all productive timber land, will provide
uniform management guidelines throughout the area.
Multiple land designations lead to conflicting land use
regulations. A forestry designation is the least controlling
land use pattern possible and will afford future generations the
greatest opportunity to experience Alaska. The forest
designation can be modified in the future to accommodate changes
in needs. Returning private land to public ownership is
difficult, time consuming and cost prohibitive.
In summary, Mr. Steen said, this is the last remaining large
parcel of state land in Southcentral that can be set aside for
public use and enjoyment. Effective management of timber
resources enhances wildlife populations, creates an industry
utilizing a renewable resource that improves the economic basis
of the community while supporting the demand for recreational
areas to hunt, trap, fish, snow machine, hike and otherwise
enjoy the great out-of-doors.
3:50:55 PM
CARL PORTMAN, Deputy Director, Resource Development Council
(RDC), Anchorage, AK, supported SB 159. He said the Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) currently manages 9.5 million acres
of forest land in the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys. Of this
land, timber management is allowed on approximately 2.1 million
acres. The remaining land is designated for other uses including
land sales, recreation, water uses and fish and wildlife
habitat. Over 3.1 million acres is protected in legislatively
designated state parks, refuges and public use areas.
Establishment of the forest would insure that some land would
remain available for long term forest management. It would allow
the Division of Forestry to more actively manage the lands and
vegetation to promote a variety of forest ages, which in turn
would maximize the sustainable supply of timber from state
timber base and provide for more diverse and healthy habitats
for wildlife. In addition, active management would also help
reduce wildfire risk. The Division of Forestry would manage the
state forest for a long-term supply of timber to local
processors and retain land in state ownership for other multiple
uses. An enhanced long-term timber supply would help support the
forest products industry, provide fuel for sustainable biomass
energy projects and create new jobs.
It would also benefit the recreational sector as the state
intends to develop access to new state forests and encourage a
broad range of multiple uses. Those multiple uses would include
an annual timber harvest and provide important economic
opportunities to local communities, businesses and residents. It
is important to keep in mind, Mr. Portman said, that SB 159
would establish a new state forest from state lands presently
designated for forest management. The Susitna State Forest would
be managed consistent with the management intent under the
current Susitna Matanuska and the Southeast Susitna area plan.
Alaska's Forest Practices Act would also apply to management
activities on the forest and is designed to protect both fish
habitat and water quality.
MR. PORTMAN summarized that RDC supports SB 159 and believes the
proposed state forest will be of much benefit to the local
economy creating and sustaining much needed jobs in the forest
products industry while providing many other opportunities.
3:53:46 PM
THOR STACY, Alaska Professional Hunters Association, Juneau, AK,
supported SB 159. He said for an industry that relies on fore-
sighted management practices for renewable resources on public
land they see the advantages of the intent and the concept of
this bill, specifically the potential for habitat improvement.
And in general, they support the concept of renewable resource
use and development in conservation on public lands. He said
their members rely on this access for opportunity and viability.
3:55:22 PM
MR. STACY said he hoped their "constructive concerns" could be
worked out in the management plan for state forests as it has in
the past. He asked for some ability to work access in terms of
timing to hunting seasons with any kind of timber development or
infrastructure that would be commercial in nature and outreach
to members that use the game management unit in question, mostly
Unit 16.
The other concern his organization has was just the ability for
there to be interagency communication in the subsets of DNR to
make sure that hunting opportunities are retained along with
other multiple uses.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER asked him to tell the committee where he came
from to testify.
MR. STACY said he came from Juneau.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER commented that he was from Wiseman, way up
North.
MR. STACY remarked that the forests up in that area are "pretty
diminutive in stature."
CO-CHAIR WAGONER found no further testimony and closed the
public hearing. He set SB 159 aside.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN said Mr. Steen from Ruffed grouse Society was
talking about adding some land to this forest and he wanted to
know if Mr. Maisch had any comment on that.
3:57:48 PM
CHRIS MAISCH, State Forester, and Director of the Division of
Forestry, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Juneau, AK,
responded that Mr. Steen was encouraging the size of the state
forest to be increased because all the lands that were
classified for forestry purposes under the area plan are
proposed to be in the state forest. That area planning process
had a lot of public input and interagency coordination and has
identified other state lands for other purposes: habitat for
wildlife, agricultural purposes, settlement, and a number of
others. To acquire additional land for the state forest, the
division would have to negotiate with other state agencies that
have the lands designated in other ways for higher and better
use. It wouldn't be impossible to make changes, but it has been
already vetted strongly and this is the package they came up
with.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER said he would hold SB 159 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| draft CS SB 205 v.D.PDF |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |
| Draft CS SB 205 v.D - sectional.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |
| SB 205 HB 332 - Map of Public Member Regions.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
HB 332 SB 205 |
| SB 205 BSFA problem document 3-12.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |