Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/01/1996 11:45 AM Senate RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 198 HOMER AIRPORT CRITICAL HAB. AREA
CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate Resources Committee meeting to
order at the Homer LIO at 11:45 a.m. and announced SB 198 to be up
for consideration.
SENATOR LINCOLN thanked them all for attending the meeting and
hoped that the bill would be moving out right away. She asked
Senator Leman why there was a Finance Committee referral if there
was a $0 fiscal note. SENATOR LEMAN answered that the Resources
Committee doesn't issue fiscal notes on bills.
ROY E. HOYT, JR. said he had been a pilot since 1942 and in
aviation for many years. He has a detailed knowledge of the Homer
Airport and its surroundings. Thirty two years ago in the military
he was in an accident caused by Canada geese coming through the
windshield of a plane. A goose hit his student in the head
breaking his neck and killing him. He thought it was irresponsible
to have a critical habitat near the airport within city limits. It
is impossible to enhance the area for moose without enhancing it
for birds, too. He thought the residents of Homer should vote on
it.
Number 106
PAUL K. SEATON, supported SB 198. He said they had been trying to
enhance the winter moose habitat by planting willows in the area on
private lands and other lands. This would aid in the local effort
that has been ongoing to improve the moose habitat.
SENATOR LEMAN asked if what they were doing would enhance the bird
population. MR. SEATON answered that he didn't think it would
enhance it at all.
MARLA MCPHERSON supported SB 198 and said every time she has flown
into the airport at Homer in the winter she has counted 30 - 40
moose in the area. She thought the area should be preserved. She
didn't think the issue of birds should be of concern.
Number 158
DAISY LEEBITTER said she had been an Alaskan for over 41 years and
supported SB 198 because of the educational, recreational, and
tourism values associated with it. Through the years she has led
people through the edge of the wetlands areas through the 11 acres
of land trust and she has had a lot of public support so that
trails were established and an observation platform was built.
Number 202
JAN EAGLE said she was a new resident of Homer and said she moved
there to live because of the beauty of the habitat, the wildlife,
and the birding. She commented that it seems we need to learn to
share habitat as both humans and animals exist and use the same
areas.
SENATOR LEMAN noted that there was a provision stating that it is
subject to the authority of the Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities to prohibit or remove an activity, installation,
or object on the land that may enhance bird habitat on or in the
vicinity of the Homer Airport. Another section says that neither
the Department of Fish and Game or any other person may create,
develop, or enhance bird habitat within the Homer Airport Critical
Habitat Area. He thought that was a good point.
KATHLEEN MOORE said her concern was with being able to continue
multiple use of lands. She said she and her family use trails that
go from Kachemak Bay to East Road. She said that moose are around
the town only when the snow is too deep to be somewhere else unless
there are problems with predation when they are calving. She
supported Mr. Hoyt's concern with accidents from birds flying into
planes and suggested that when people see large flocks of geese
near the airport to let the airport know.
SENATOR LEMAN asked Senator Torgerson if he knew of anything in
this bill that would preclude that kind of activity. SENATOR
TORGERSON replied, but the recording was indistinct (background
noise). SENATOR LEMAN said they would look it over and make sure
she would not be restricted.
DAVE VANDERBRINK said he had been a member of the Wetlands Task
Force. His primary interest from long observation is that there is
a great deal of summer time moose habitat and very little for
winter. That is his primary interest in establishing more area in
the lower elevations for the moose to attempt to survive. He
didn't think the bird problem would be of any great concern so long
as managers don't make things too neat, for instance, making the
grass too short which attracts geese. He didn't see how birds
would be more of a problem in the future than they are now.
GINO DEL FRATE, ADF&G Wildlife Biologist, testified, but the
recording was indistinct due to background noise.
Number 359
BOB MOSS supported SB 198 based on 50 years of watching changes and
developments in the Homer area. He thought the point had been
reached that this legislation was needed. He said they are working
with the whole ecological system, not just one part. He said this
issue has support from the city fathers and from the Division of
Forestry.
MILDRED MARTIN supported SB 198. She said many moose died in the
winter of 1992 because the snow was too deep up on the mountain.
She thought it was vital that they preserve the habitat for them
and recognize the fact that everytime someone builds they are
losing habitat. She said local support is very strong.
Number 447
JOEL COWPER said he supported creating the habitat area for moose
and for other species, as well. He thought everything should be
done to protect the area. He said the birds were not a problem
now.
SENATOR LEMAN said it looked like it wasn't likely that the
legislature would be able to fund any significant effort to enhance
habitat.
NANCY LORD supported SB 198. She was concerned that the session
was half over and the bill was still in its first committee of
referral.
DENNIS LEACH, Homer City Council, said whenever testimony was taken
on this issue, it was favorable. He explained that Homer is in the
process of changing its main focus of economy from commercial
fishing to tourism. There is a tremendous future there in tourism,
but it's going to take some work. That particular herd of moose
represents the vast majority of the watchable wildlife on the
Peninsula.
ELIZABETH WEBB, Pratt Museum Homer Society of Natural History, said
they supported SB 198. She read a letter from the Society,
representing about 800 members, reviewing the proposal for
formation of a critical habitat area for the Beluga Wetlands. The
board members were unanimously in favor of the proposal.
She paraphrased comments from Dr. George West, a local
ornithologist regarding bird populations and the aircraft hazard
issue. He said when their task force was formed there was a
healthy colony of 40 pairs of arctic Aleutian terns nesting in the
marsh. Since that time the number of nesting terns has dwindled to
two to three pairs. There are several species of duck which nest
there, also. When there were more nesting birds in the area the
task force was not aware of any trouble with aircraft. He assured
everyone that even with critical habitat status there would
continue to be increased pressure on habitat and birds from
recreational use, so there would be even fewer birds, not more
birds, to present a hazard to aircraft in the years to come. The
effect of designating the Beluga Wetlands with critical habitat
status will benefit the moose more than the birds.
LYNN WHITMORE said he is co-chairman of the Beluga Wetlands Task
Force and is the chairman of the Homer Fish and Game Advisory
Committee. He strongly supported SB 198.
JIM REARDON, a 40-year resident of Homer and a 46-year resident of
Alaska, said he managed the wildlife department of the University
of Alaska in 1950 and worked for the ADF&G for 12 years. He has
also worked at the Homer Airport. He said the problem with the
birds down there is that they seem to be diminishing and he didn't
see how the critical habitat area would increase the danger from
bird strikes by airplanes using the Airport.
RON DRATHMAN, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly (KPBA), said there's
really nothing you can do about the situation. It's not good to
have an airport near developed land and if it is out of town there
will be some animals around it. He said he thought we are fighting
a losing battle against development, but we should do something to
protect the area.
NINA FAUST, Kachemak Bay Conservation Society, strongly supported
SB 198. She thought it was a good idea to set aside areas of
habitat for the economic infrastructure associated with tourism.
Number 573
EDGAR BAILEY, Homer wildlife biologist, supported previous
testimony of Jim Rinehart and George West. Being from California
he has seen what has happened cumulatively with the lost habitat
and if we don't use some foresight we are going to have the same
thing happen in Alaska that is occurring in California.
TAPE 96-22, SIDE B
Number 580
He said the key wintering areas are what are in short supply. He
thought this was an outstanding opportunity to look at cumulative
impacts and have foresight and safeguard a very key area which is
only a little more than a square mile. It is very essential for
wintering moose populations.
MR. BAILEY thought passage of this bill was extremely important and
he didn't think there would be any real problem with birds because
with the surrounding loss of habitat the bird problem is actually
diminishing.
HARRY GREGOIRE said there was a bird problem at the airport and
they would continue to have a problem with enhancing the moose
habitat. He said there was an accident at the airport that wasn't
recorded. He said the economic base is dependent upon the airport.
He said they need to make jobs. He found that $87 million dollars
of land within the city limits of Homer is either State, federal,
or Borough - non-taxed. That is one fourth of their total lands.
DOT want to take another 600 feet (300 acres) which would wipe out
the commercial D-2 property.
MR. GREGOIRE said he was concerned about the airport's ability to
function, but he didn't think SB 198 would keep it from being able
to function.
KEN CASTNER, Homer resident and private pilot, said he does a lot
of his flying around Beluga Lake. He said the summer wind in Homer
comes in from the Southwest and the proposed critical habitat area
is his approach into Beluga Lake and he sees moose there most of
the time. Moose aren't a big problem. He said that Beluga Lake is
not the wildest place he flies in and out of. There are a lot of
places that have animals and birds, especially large birds like
swans, loons, and cranes, but that is just a factor in being an
Alaskan pilot. Pilots carry experiences and relations of
experiences around with them so they don't run into the same
problems. Bird avoidance is part of the skills that you build. He
really didn't see what the alternative was to making this a
critical habitat. He would object to putting a tower up there for
the approach to Beluga Lake. Short of killing every bird in the
area he really didn't know how to avoid that problem.
PAM BRODIE supported SB 198. She spends a lot of time out of doors
and thought it was important to keep the area open to the moose.
An unidentified Homer City Council member (Jack) wanted Homer to be
a town where people could come in and see a herd of moose. He said
the area on the north side of the runway and the small areas to the
south are specifically targeted by moose. As pressures around
these areas increase the population of birds decrease. We are
stewards not only for now, but for generations to come.
GARNER MCGINTY said he had been in Alaska for 50 years and had been
all over. Moose and bird habitat is all over Alaska. He said
there are two choices here. Either everyone moves out and lets the
moose and birds have it or we have to work together.
SENATOR TORGERSON thanked everyone for their participation at the
meeting. SENATOR LEMAN also thanked his staff, Mary Vollendorf,
and Eric Musser, staff to Speaker Gail Phillips, for their help.
Number 451
SENATOR LEMAN recessed the meeting at 12:55 p.m.
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