04/05/2008 12:00 PM House FINANCE

 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 17                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
      Urging the  United States  Congress to  provide a  means                                                                  
      for consistently sharing,  on an ongoing basis,  revenue                                                                  
      generated from  oil  and gas  development on  the  outer                                                                  
      continental  shelf  with  all coastal  energy-producing                                                                   
      states to  ensure that  those states  develop,  support,                                                                  
      and  maintain  necessary  infrastructure  and   preserve                                                                  
      environmental integrity.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
 Co-Chair Meyer noted for the record that he works for  an oil                                                                  
 company that does offshore exploring in Alaska.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
 SENATOR BILL  WIELECHOWSKI, SPONSOR,  explained  that SJR  17                                                                  
 urges  Congress to  provide  Alaska  with  a  fair  share  of                                                                  
 federal revenue from oil and gas leasing and development  off                                                                  
 Alaska's coast. Under current law, Alaska receives virtually                                                                   
 no revenue  from oil  and gas  leasing and  development  that                                                                  
 occurs  more than  six  miles  off  the  coast.  The  federal                                                                  
 government has allowed other states 37.5 percent of  revenues                                                                  
 from newly  leased  federal  waters off  their  coasts.  Like                                                                  
 other energy-producing  states,  Alaska  bears the  costs  of                                                                  
 infrastructure  in  support  of  offshore  development,   and                                                                  
 coastal resources  and  residents bear  the impacts  of  that                                                                  
 development. (Sponsor Statement, Copy on File)                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
 7:48:30 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
 Co-Chair Meyer  asked  if  Cook Inlet  was  considered  state                                                                  
 waters. Senator  Wielechowski thought  Cook  Inlet was  state                                                                  
 waters. He said the states  get no revenues after 6 miles.  A                                                                  
 lot of  leases occur 60  miles out  in the  Chukchi Sea.  Co-                                                                  
 Chair Meyer asked  if Representative  Joule's district  would                                                                  
 be affected. Senator Wielechowski said it would be.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Stoltze asked  about  sending  the Resolution  to                                                                   
delegations of  other states.  Senator Wielechowski  said the                                                                   
other state most affected by the issue is California.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:50:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara  wondered if Alaska would get  any of the                                                                   
money retroactively.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Stoltze spoke to the polar bear issue.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Stoltze  MOVED to REPORT  SJR 17 out  of Committee                                                                   
with  individual recommendations  and  with the  accompanying                                                                   
fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SJR  17  was REPORTED  out  of  Committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and with zero  fiscal note  #1 by the  Senate                                                                   
Resources Committee.