Legislature(2025 - 2026)BUTROVICH 205
05/12/2025 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB174 | |
| SJR20 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 174 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SJR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 20-CLEAN UP MARINE DEBRIS
4:07:09 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 20 Supporting federal, state, and local efforts
to clean up and remove marine debris from the state; urging the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the
Environmental Protection Agency to provide additional funding
for those efforts and to remove barriers faced by tribes and
rural communities in accessing those funds; and urging the
Alaska Congressional delegation to advocate for increased
federal funding and support for marine debris prevention, clean
up, removal, backhaul, and education.
4:07:33 PM
SENATOR JESSE BJORKMAN, District D, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, paraphrased the sponsor statement for SJR 20:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SJR 20 Clean Up Marine Debris
Sponsor Statement
Version N
Alaska's culture revolves around a healthy ocean and
ecosystem, the ocean provides us with food, jobs, and
tradition. Alaskans use the ocean to provide for
themselves every single day.
Foreign trash floating through Federal water collects
in remote areas where it pollutes beaches and kills
wildlife. Distance, expense, and rugged conditions
make cleanup a challenge. Allowing marine debris to
continue to collect around the state's shorelines is
detrimental to our way of life.
Since 2006, NOAA has directly funded projects in
Alaska that have removed over two million pounds of
debris. Federal agencies like NOAA and the EPA can
continue to help Alaska get on track to clean up the
state's waters. The state of Alaska has an estimated
44,000 miles of shoreline, almost as much as the
entirety of the United States combined. Based on the
estimate of shoreline, only around 6 percent of the
coastline in Alaska has been cleaned since efforts
begun.
It is extremely difficult to properly dispose of
marine debris after removal, leaving communities with
messes they did not create. SJR 20 urges the Alaska
Congressional Delegation to advocate for increased
federal funding to support marine debris cleanup,
backhaul, prevention, and education.
We urge members support of SJR 20. This Foreign debris
must not trash Alaska any longer!
4:09:42 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced invited testimony on SJR 20.
4:10:12 PM
LAUREN DIVINE, Director, Ecosystem Conservation Office, Aleut
Community of St. Paul Island, Anchorage, Alaska, expressed
appreciation for SJR 20. She described the decades of extensive
work done by the Aleut Community of St. Paul to remove marine
debris from its remote shorelines. She emphasized the time,
resources, capacity, and financial investment. She stated that
this is a never-ending battle. She pointed out that the debris
is not locally sourced; tens of thousands of pounds of marine
debris are brought to Alaska via ocean currents. Over 80 percent
of the debris on the St. Paul shoreline is fishing-industry
related. This includes nets, ropes, fishing lines, and buoys,
among others. She emphasized the negative impact marine debris
has on wildlife.
MS. DIVINE pointed out that St. Paul Island is home to the
majority of the world's breeding population of northern fur
seals. She emphasized that this fur seal population is an
important subsistence resource and adds to the island's
biodiversity. She stated that, in the Bering Sea, millions of
seabirds and other marine wildlife are at risk due to exposure
to marine debris. She said that the Aleut Community of St. Paul
has worked to strengthen state and local partnerships to address
the challenges of clearing marine debris. She emphasized the
need for partnerships and financial assistance - and the
important role SJR 20 would play in bringing greater attention
and support to this issue. She added that this would benefit
both remote and tribal communities and would aid statewide
efforts.
4:13:19 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI directed attention to an Ocean Conservancy map
of the Alaska shoreline. He noted that the map indicates storm
currents in the Gulf of Alaska and the [Alaska Stream], which
could bring debris to Alaska. He recalled Ms. Divine's testimony
that most of the debris does not originate in Alaska and asked
for more information about where the debris is coming from.
4:13:56 PM
MS. DIVINE replied that Alaska currents carry debris from global
currents. She explained that the debris can and does originate
from outside of Alaska. Marine debris can come from beyond the
Arctic and sub-Arctic areas. She said that St. Paul sees debris
from countries across the Pacific Ocean. This includes large,
commercial-scale debris. She noted that the debris often
contains foreign language labels indicating its origins. She
said the debris finds its way into currents around the Bering
Sea and the Bering Sea shelf and float, which bring it to St.
Paul Island. St. Paul Island shares debris sources and problems
with Western Alaska and the Northern Bering Sea (i.e. the debris
travels across the Pacific Ocean), while debris in the Gulf of
Alaska has different origins. She invited others to note where
debris in their regions is coming from.
4:15:39 PM
MICHAEL LEVINE, Senior Director, Alaska Programs, Ocean
Conservancy, Juneau, Alaska, expressed gratitude for SJR 20. He
briefly described Ocean Conservancy's work in Alaska, which
includes programs focused on fisheries, shipping, clean ocean
energy, and marine debris. Ocean Conservancy has worked on
marine debris issues for close to 40 years. He briefly described
the International Coastal Cleanup program, which began in 1986
and has engaged more than 18 million volunteers and cleaned up
440 million pounds of trash in 155 countries.
4:17:18 PM
MR. LEVINE said the International Coastal Cleanup program - and
the Ocean Conservancy's work in Alaska - is built on providing
support to communities (including tribes, individuals, and local
organizations) that are working to clean up local beaches. He
explained that Ocean Conservancy provides technical expertise,
raise funding, and build connections among individuals working
on marine debris issues. He emphasized that marine debris is
prevalent and unique in Alaska. He explained that debris washes
up on Alaskan shores in amazing quantities. He directed
attention to SJR 20, page 2, lines 16-18, which states that as
of 2014, tribes, communities, and organizations around the state
have removed more than 3,000,000 pounds of debris in documented
cleanups.
MR. LEVINE estimated that this amount has increased by hundreds
of thousands of pounds since that time. He turned to Senator
Kawasaki's question about where the debris originates and
confirmed that the debris comes from faraway places. He
explained that debris from the Fukushima nuclear accident
(Fukushima, Japan, 2011) has crossed the Pacific Ocean and
washed up on Alaskan shores. He shared his belief that this
issue is uniquely Alaskan, cutting across geographies and
political lines. He noted that marine debris is a larger problem
in Alaska than in other states, in part due to Alaska's large
coastline. He emphasized partnerships with many organizations
across multiple industries and said this is a lesson in what
Alaskan's can do if they work together.
4:19:29 PM
MR. LEVINE emphasized that the work is extremely expensive. He
explained that debris cleanups in remote locations (e.g. St.
Paul Island) require equipment, manpower, and technical
expertise in order to transport the debris to the landfill. He
pointed out that the debris then takes up space in the landfill,
which creates another issue. He said Ocean Conservancy and other
organizations are working to create a "back haul" program to
transport the debris from remote communities to recycling and
disposal facilities (largely in the Lower 48). He said Ocean
Conservancy received a federal grant from the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to begin a back haul pilot program in
Alaska. He noted support from Alaska's Senate delegation and
others across the state. He reiterated that this is a non-
partisan issue that requires an "all hands on deck" approach. He
encouraged the legislature's support and passage of SJR 20.
4:20:50 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI recalled funding that was allocated for Pacific
states to use for cleanup after the Fukushima disaster occurred.
He asked how the money was divided and what it was used for. He
surmised that it was not enough to address all the associated
cleanup needs.
4:21:23 PM
MR. LEVINE replied that he does not know how all the money was
spent. He recalled surveys to discover debris "hot spots." He
said he would research this question and provide additional
information to the committee. He pointed out that large
quantities of debris have washed up on shore after recent
weather events, including after Typhoon Merbok in 2022. He
commented that, regardless of how the funds from the Fukushima
disaster were spent, additional assistance is needed to clean up
Alaska's shoreline.
4:22:47 PM
RALPH WOLFE, Director, Indigenous Stewardship Programs, Native
Lands and Resources, Tlingit and Haida, Sitka, Alaska, discussed
the important role partnerships play in clearing marine debris.
He stated that Tlingit and Haida partners with organizations
like Ocean Conservancy to clean up marine debris in communities
throughout Southeast Alaska. Over the past year, Tlingit & Haida
has picked up nearly 10,000 pounds of debris across 4
communities (with two days spent by 10-15 people in each
community). He said this does not cover a fraction of the debris
that is present and in need of cleaning. He explained that
coordination and logistics are often a challenge, as many of the
locations are remote. He explained that time and funding pose a
challenge. He said cleanup events must account for tide,
weather, hazards, and arranging disposal. He stated that items
left in Southeast Alaska dumps are at risk of ending up back in
the ocean.
4:25:13 PM
MR. WOLFE said that the coordination continues once the cleanup
event is complete. He said the hope is to recycle the debris,
rather than move it from one location to another. He emphasized
the intention to find an ethical way to dispose of the debris.
He said nets and fishing equipment washes up on beaches. He
explained that large fishing nets are difficult to remove and
offered a personal anecdote to illustrate this. He shared his
belief that SJR 20 would help organizations like Tlingit and
Haida find additional funding sources outside of Alaska. He
opined that Alaskans should not have to deal with this issue but
acknowledged that Alaskans are the ones on the ground and
feeling the direct impacts. He briefly discussed microplastics
and the impact they have on wildlife such as seals, sea otters,
and sea lions. Microplastics are found throughout the marine
food chain and pose a significant risk to the ecosystem. This
negatively impacts sea life as well as those who rely on the
ocean for subsistence and challenges indigenous ways of life. He
indicated that Tlingit & Haida will continue to do this work
regardless, but emphasized the importance of partnerships that
can offer financial support. He stated that it is not simply
"picking up trash" - rather, it is about safeguarding
livelihoods, restoring ecosystems, and honoring the connection
between people and place. He commented that SJR 20 would
encourage investment in marine debris cleanup and would support
partnerships throughout Alaska. He said Tlingit & Haida has
partners from the southernmost coast of Southeast Alaska up to
Kodiak and beyond.
4:27:39 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL opened public testimony on SJR 20; finding none,
she closed public testimony.
4:28:03 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI shared that Japan provided a goodwill gift to
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to
collect marine debris after the Fukushima disaster. He asked if
there are other (national or international) avenues to address
marine debris. He opined that each country should be responsible
for its own debris - and should not be required to clean up
debris from other countries. He asked if there are any
international treaties that address this issue. He expressed
uncertainty regarding whether the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) would apply in this case, as the
United States is not party to that treaty.
4:28:50 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN deferred the question.
4:29:12 PM
MR. LEVINE replied that he does not know. He said he would
research this alongside Senator Kawasaki's earlier question
related to Fukushima funding and provide any additional
information to the committee.
4:30:11 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if Mr. Levine would also investigate whether
the Arctic Council has any related policies or activities and
provide this information to the committee.
4:30:45 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL held SJR 20 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 174 International Arctic Research Center Invited Testimony.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 174 |
| SJR20 Support Document-Debris Cleanup on Remote Islands 09.21.23.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 20 |
| SJR 20 Sponsor Statement ver. N.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 20 |
| SJR20 Support Document-Statewide Cleanup Data 12.2024.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 20 |
| SJR20 ver. N.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 20 |
| SJR20 Support Document-OC Marine Debris in AK.pdf |
SRES 5/12/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 20 |