Legislature(2013 - 2014)CAPITOL 106
03/28/2013 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR10 | |
| HCR3 | |
| HB59 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HCR 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SJR 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 59 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 10-ARCTIC: POLICY, USCG, ARCTIC COUNCIL
8:09:11 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was the CS
FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10(RES) am, Relating to the
presence and interests of the state and the nation in the
Arctic; urging appointment of a representative of the state to
the Arctic Council; relating to icebreakers; and relating to
United States Coast Guard operations and facilities in the
Arctic.
8:10:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT moved to adopt the proposed House
committee substitute (HCS) for CSSJR 10, Version 28-LS0542/C,
Nauman, 3/22/13, as a work draft.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT objected for the purpose of discussion.
8:11:10 AM
JOE BYRNES, Intern, Senator Cathy Giessel, Alaska State
Legislature, presented SJR 10 on behalf of Senator Giessel,
sponsor. He stated that SJR 10 would urge Congress and advises
the U.S. to increase its interest in the Arctic Council by
expanding the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker fleet to maintain its
growing Arctic responsibilities. The joint resolution would
advise the U.S. to assert its political, strategic,
environmental, and economic interests in the Arctic by pursuing
America's vast diplomatic, military, and economic means. He
said that interest in the Arctic has been renewed globally due
to the diminishing levels of Polar Sea ice, which presents new
opportunities to the world. Geologists believe that the Arctic
holds the potential for large quantities of natural resources
that could promote domestic energy security and Alaska's
economy. The decline in amount of Polar Sea ice can enhance
commercial interests with an opportunity to reduce international
shipping times compared to conventional routes by navigating the
Arctic Ocean. Though the rest of the world appears to recognize
the potential of the Arctic, there has been relatively
inadequate resolve exhibited at the federal level in advancing
Arctic interests.
8:12:37 AM
MR. BYRNES referred to a handout in the committee packet
entitled, "Major Icebreakers of the World," which was published
by the U.S. Coast Guard and reveals the number of icebreakers,
which indicates how other countries have demonstrated Arctic
interests. Icebreakers are essential to carrying out operations
in the Arctic and projecting a nation's presence in northern
waters. He pointed out that Russia has 17 state-operated
icebreakers, Canada has 6, and the U.S. has 3, of which only 1
is currently in service. He said that U.S. interests are at
stake in the Arctic, particularly of interest to Alaskans.
International Arctic policy affects Alaska uniquely compared to
other states.
MR. BYRNES said SJR 10 highlights Alaska's engagement with the
Arctic Council, which since 1996 has emerged as a leading
channel for the discussion of international Arctic affairs among
the Arctic states. The relayed [the sponsor's] belief that
Alaska's Arctic interests are fundamentally America's Arctic
interests, and whatever avenue that is available to convey those
interests should be pursued. The U.S. should seek to unlock the
Arctic's potential by having the U.S. take a leadership role in
guiding international Arctic policy. He stated that adopting
the provisions of SJR 10 would be a good first step in advancing
that goal.
8:14:08 AM
CHAIR LYNN asked whether this resolution has anything to do with
the Law of the Sea Treaty.
MR. BRYNES answered that SJR 10 does not specifically promote or
oppose the Law of the Sea Treaty.
8:14:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT asked why Argentina, Chile, and South
Africa have ice breakers.
MR. BRYNES answered that those countries are near the Antarctic.
In response to Representative Isaacson, he offered his
understanding that the key on the handout indicates where
icebreakers have operated.
CHAIR LYNN remarked that it is amazing how many icebreakers
Russia has.
8:16:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES noted that Russia started building
icebreakers in the '60s and the U.S. got a late start. She
wondered if Alaska encouraged the U.S. with respect to
icebreakers. She expressed curiosity about the history of
icebreakers.
8:16:58 AM
MR. BRYNES offered his understanding that Alaska's delegation
has been fighting for more icebreakers for a long time, but it
has only been recently, due to global warming and Arctic ice
melting, that the interest has shifted to the Arctic.
8:17:29 AM
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,
as sponsor of SJR 10, interjected that Alaska was a new state in
the '60s, and the country is just now realizing that it is an
Arctic nation. She said, "We are attempting to raise the
urgency of the need for icebreakers." She said as a result of
diminishing Arctic ice, shipping lanes have opened up. She
commented that the Bering Strait has become a popular conduit
for significant shipping between Asia, the Arctic, and Russia;
therefore, the U.S. needs additional icebreakers for national
security.
8:18:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES asked for the cost of an icebreaker,
whether any private companies build them, and if the state could
consider building one.
MR. BRYNES answered that that the cost issue was raised in the
Senate Resources Committee meeting on 3/4/13. According to a
High Latitude Study provided to the Congress in July 2011, and
reported in a Congressional Research Service report, the cost
for one ship would be about $856 million. The report also
estimated that building six ships would cost $4.7 billion. He
noted that major ice breakers, the Nathaniel B. Palmer and the
Aiviq, are privately owned.
SENATOR GIESSEL added that the Aiviq is owned by Royal Dutch
Shell plc, was at one time harbored in Seward, but is being
transported to Asia for additional retrofitting. She said that
the Sikuliaq is an Arctic-equipped research vessel operated by
the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
8:20:44 AM
MR. BRYNES, in response to the chair, said the icebreakers owned
by the U.S. are operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which reports
to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In response to
Representative Keller, said he does not know all the locations
in which the Arctic Council has met, but knows it meets on a
rotation schedule, which began in 1996, with Canada as chair,
then rotated to the U.S. in 1998. He referred to page 3, [lines
18-20], which notes that "following the chairmanship of Canada
beginning in May 2013, the United States will assume
chairmanship of the Arctic council in May 2015".
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER expressed curiosity as to when Alaska
would be chairing the Arctic Council.
8:22:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON questioned the effectiveness of the
resolution. He referred to language on page 2, [lines 11-14],
which states that the U.S. Coast Guard "does not have a base on
or adjacent to the Arctic Ocean, inhibiting the nation's ability
to respond to situations", and then highlighted language on page
4, [lines 14-15], which "urges the United States to continue to
assert its political, strategic, environmental, and economic
interests in the Arctic". He asked for the likelihood of a base
ever existing in Alaska. He recalled that former U.S. Coast
Guard members have indicated that the Midwest U.S. has not yet
recognized the U.S. as an Arctic nation; therefore, because of
the prohibitive costs of an icebreaker, it may be a long time
before one is built. He further asked for the likelihood of SRJ
10 gaining traction in Congress.
MR. BRYNES expressed the sponsor's hope that the proposed joint
resolution would have a receptive audience in Congress. The
Alaska Congressional Delegation has always been supportive of
increasing the number of icebreakers in the U.S. Coast Guard
fleet, as well as supporting the construction of Arctic posts.
In 2012, Senator Begich co-sponsored an amendment to the U.S.
Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which would prolong the life of
one of the four aging icebreakers. He offered his belief that
measures such as this one emphasize to the Lower 48 the reasons
icebreakers are important to the U.S.
8:25:34 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL encouraged members to become active members in
the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), which has a
subcommittee called Arctic Caucus, which has been focused on
these issues. She reported that PNWER comprises Alaska and the
Northwest and Yukon Territories of Canada. She explained that
the caucus provided the momentum for the Northern Waters Task
Force and ultimately the Arctic Policy Commission that Alaska
has formed. She agreed that the U.S. has federal financial
issues; however, if the concern is never raised, it will never
happen. She stated that with the Arctic Council's presence in
the U.S., the state is partnering with Canada to emphasize the
North American Arctic to potentially effectively leverage the
Arctic presence. She characterized the involvement as being a
"challenging uphill battle," which [Alaska and Canada] are
fighting together.
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON noted the resolution calls for a member
of the State of Alaska to serve on the Arctic Council. He asked
whether SJR 10 is being "done in cooperation" or is "knocking on
the door" to raise awareness.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered it is the latter. She reported that a
northern Canadian First Nations woman from Nunavut chairs
Canada's position on the Arctic Council, and she indicated that
the proposed resolution asks that an Alaskan be considered to
chair [the United States' position on the council]. She
indicated that Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell is the governor's
designee as official delegate from Alaska to speak on Arctic
issues before the federal government.
8:28:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES recalled reading that during recent
chairmanship of the Arctic Council by Norway, Finland, and
Sweden, focus has been on environmental protection, and now that
Canada will be chairing, followed by the U.S., the emphasis will
be on North American issues. She said she was delighted that
part of the emphasis will be on resource development and perhaps
shipping. She expressed an interest in how the emphasis would
change. She further asked whether Western States support the
Arctic, in particular, for additional icebreakers - due to the
impact it will have on the Arctic shipping route.
SENATOR GIESSEL explained that the Arctic Council has a very
broad emphasis which includes environmental, shipping, and
resource development. She related that the Alaska Arctic Policy
Commission (AAPC) is actually divided into [policy teams], and
she heads the team focused on [oil and gas development,
resources, and mining]. Consequently, she has been reviewing
other Arctic nations in the council, and she has found each of
them to have a balanced perspective for each of the issues,
including transportation, development, and environment. She
turned to the Western states and pointed out that she is also a
member of the Energy Producing States Coalition (EPSC), whose
members are predominately Western states that produce energy.
She said she has been trying to emphasize the Arctic importance
to the coalition. She encouraged members to make their voices
known to other states as they participate in meetings in the
Lower 48 and other countries.
8:31:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT removed her objection to the motion to
adopt the proposed House committee substitute (HCS) for CSSJR
10, Version 28-LS0542/C, Nauman, 3/22/13. There being no
further objection, Version C was before the committee as a work
draft.
8:31:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT moved to report HCS CSSJR 10, Version 28-
LS0542/C, Nauman, 3/22/13, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER objected.
8:32:12 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Gattis, Hughes,
Isaacson, Keller, Kreiss-Tomkins, Millett, and Lynn voted in
favor of reported Version C for SJR 10 out of committee.
Therefore, HCS CSSJR 10(STA) was reported out of the House State
Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 7-0.