04/05/2008 12:00 PM House FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 229                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating  to the Tanana Valley  State Forest and                                                                   
     to assignment of certain  forest land to the Minto Flats                                                                   
     State  Game  Refuge;  and  providing  for  an  effective                                                                   
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOE THOMAS,  SPONSOR, explained that  the bill amends                                                                   
the boundaries  of the Tanana  Valley State Forest  by adding                                                                   
and   deleting   boundaries  to   the   legal   descriptions,                                                                   
increasing it  by around 35,000  acres. The legislation  also                                                                   
moves approximately  4300 acres from the state  forest to the                                                                   
Minto Flats  State Game  Refuge (Sponsor  Statement,  Copy on                                                                   
File). The  forest is open  to mining and other  development.                                                                   
He described  the history  of the state  forest and  its many                                                                   
uses. He has received no negative comments on the bill.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
7:27:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Chenault  applauded  the  bill  and  asked  if  the                                                                   
changes affect  ability for  oil and  gas exploration  on the                                                                   
lands.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MARTY FREEMAN,  DIVISION OF  FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT  OF NATURAL                                                                   
RESOURCES, clarified  that there is  no change to  the status                                                                   
of the  land going  into the Tanana  Valley State  Forest. It                                                                   
continues to  be open  for oil, gas  and mining leasing.  The                                                                   
land  going  into the  refuge  is  closed  to mining.  It  is                                                                   
primarily managed for wildlife habitat.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
 Co-Chair Chenault  asked  how much  land  would go  into  the                                                                  
 reserve. Senator Thomas answered 4300 acres.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
 PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
 Vice-Chair Stoltze MOVED  to REPORT SB  229 out of Committee                                                                   
 with individual recommendations and with accompanying  fiscal                                                                  
 notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
 SB 229  was  REPORTED  out  of Committee  with  a  "do  pass"                                                                  
 recommendation  and   with  zero  fiscal   note  #1  by   the                                                                  
 Department of Natural  Resources and zero  fiscal note #2  by                                                                  
 Department of Fish and Game.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
 AT EASE        7:30:56 PM                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
 RECONVENE      7:44:57 PM