03/18/2014 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Requesting the  Governor to  investigate and  report to                                                                    
     the legislature  regarding the  development of  a large                                                                    
     coal  power  plant  and  associated  electric  grid  to                                                                    
     provide energy to residents of the state.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:09:20 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly  explained SCR  16. He  felt that  the energy                                                                    
portfolio in  Alaska was not  diversified. He  remarked that                                                                    
Alaska could provide the need for  coal in the world for 100                                                                    
years. 16 requests the  Governor investigate the development                                                                    
of a  large coal  power plant  and associated  electric grid                                                                    
and  to evaluate  the costs  and benefits  of coal-generated                                                                    
energy with  respect to other  energy sources. Today,  it is                                                                    
unfashionable  to  talk  about   our  most  abundant  energy                                                                    
source,  Coal.    Alaska  has enough  coal  to  provide  for                                                                    
peoples' needs for hundreds of  years. It is a plentiful and                                                                    
inexpensive source  of energy.   Coal power plants  are more                                                                    
efficient than ever.  Some  proposed and experimental plants                                                                    
even  remove carbon  dioxide.   Coal  is  far more  abundant                                                                    
globally than  either oil or  natural gas.  Fashions change,                                                                    
but  if we  fail to  have this  conversation today,  we will                                                                    
have failed to keep this  option open for future generations                                                                    
of Alaskans.  This is that day,  and we need to  advance the                                                                    
conversation on coal  today so it remains  in our vernacular                                                                    
for  tomorrow.  Yes, coal  requires  mining,  and there  are                                                                    
individuals and  corporate entities  that attack  any effort                                                                    
to disturb  the earth so  as to  provide for mankind.   They                                                                    
are part  of the  conversation, but  often shout  too loudly                                                                    
about  issues of  possible relevance  outside,  that do  not                                                                    
apply to Alaska's  coal. Coal can be used to  heat homes, it                                                                    
can power communities. Alaska has  40 percent more coal than                                                                    
the Lower 48. Alaskan coal  is ultra-low sulfur fuel without                                                                    
concentrations of  trace elements considered harmful  and is                                                                    
the cleanest not only in  the United States, but perhaps the                                                                    
world.  It  is the  ideal  fuel,  with  the best  chance  of                                                                    
attaining   the  mandates   of  the   1990  Clean   Air  Act                                                                    
amendments. Coal is  not just our past, but is  also part of                                                                    
our future.  We have the  ability to secure  Alaska's energy                                                                    
independence with a resource that  is abundant in our state.                                                                    
SCR  16  will help  keep  coal  in  our consciousness  as  a                                                                    
solution  to our  energy  needs. He  felt  that the  current                                                                    
fiscal  note  did  not  provide   an  accurate  reflect  the                                                                    
legislation's intent.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:16:30 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CARLY WIER, SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified                                                                    
against SCR 16. She felt  that it was irresponsible to build                                                                    
a  power plant  without  regard to  the  federal permits  or                                                                    
restrictions. She  stressed that  there were  more effective                                                                    
ways to  embark on a dialog  or make a point  to the federal                                                                    
government  than wasting  $75,000 or  more to  determine the                                                                    
cost  of a  legal battle  with the  federal government  on a                                                                    
study  for a  coal plant  that  could not  be built  without                                                                    
meeting federal regulations, and  would not even address the                                                                    
needs of Alaska's small and  diverse rural populations. Coal                                                                    
was the  dirtiest available fuel,  and stressed  that Alaska                                                                    
had  many  other  options.  She stressed  that  it  was  not                                                                    
"fashion" that  forced people to  stop using lead  in dishes                                                                    
or mercury to make hats,  but rather a new understanding and                                                                    
rational decision  making that  changed the way  humans used                                                                    
resources.  She  stressed  that   the  global  markets  were                                                                    
demonstrating the new understanding of the dangers of coal.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
LORALI    SIMON,    USIBELI    COAL   MINE,    HEALY    (via                                                                    
teleconference), testified  in support  of SCR 16.  She felt                                                                    
that the  legislature must consider the  implications of all                                                                    
the different  energy resources, and she  stressed that coal                                                                    
had provided  reliable and affordable  energy to  Alaska for                                                                    
100 years. She stated that coal  had would continue to be an                                                                    
important aspect of Alaska's energy.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SCR  16  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.