Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/30/2004 03:35 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SJR 25-FLOODING AND EROSION CONTROL ASSISTANCE
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced SJR 25 to be up for consideration.
HAVEN HARRIS, staff to Senator Donny Olson, sponsor, read the
following into the record:
SJR 25 is a resolution requesting the Army Corp of
Engineers ease their cost and benefit analysis for
projects in rural Alaska.
Senator Olson has proposed this resolution in response
to many concerns voiced by his constituents with
regards to the erosion and flooding problems that
plague western Alaska. Currently many of the villages
in western Alaska are not receiving the assistance
needed for the protection of life and property.
On November 8, 2003 a winter storm hit western Alaska.
This storm caused considerable damage to Unalakleet,
Shishmaref, and some of Nome's surrounding areas.
While the governor has declared a state of disaster
because of this storm, the continued effects of
erosion on the villages of Alaska are not going to be
solved by emergency disaster declarations. A more
comprehensive, coordinated effort is required by the
Army Corps of Engineers and other federal and state
agencies.
Our Senator's office respectfully urges your support
for this resolution to focus attention on this serious
problem.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY asked him to elaborate on easing
restrictions.
MR. HARRIS explained that the Army Corps of Engineers uses a
cost benefit analysis that looks for a monetary gain or savings
before any project can go forward. Unfortunately, there won't be
a savings from any of the projects in these villages. But this
problem isn't unique to this area; it's the situation in much of
rural Alaska because the communities are so small. Nonetheless,
even though there is no monetary gain, maintaining the
resident's homes in these villages should outweigh the cost
benefit analysis, he said.
SENATOR COWDERY asked whether the Denali Commission is doing the
same sort of thing.
MR. HARRIS told him this wasn't within the scope of the Denali
Commission. Referring to the General Accounting Office (GAO)
report on Alaska Native villages, he noted that the Denali
Commission was specifically identified as a possible entity to
alleviate this problem. However, that isn't the case at this
time.
SENATOR COWDERY read the Denali Commission policy or objectives
aloud:
The commission is committed to accelerate the building
of sustainable infrastructure in rural Alaska and to
enhance the health and safety of rural residents and
provide economic opportunity.
The Denali Commission should be doing what is being requested,
he said.
MR. HARRIS replied they would very much like for them to be
pushing in that direction, but that's not what is happening
right now. Currently they are focused on making bulk fuel and
energy reserves more affordable and to date have assisted a
number of rural communities with building hospitals and health
clinics.
SENATOR COWDERY suggested that Senator Olson lean on the
commission for assistance.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS commented that he didn't believe that the
Bering Sea is a part of the Arctic Ocean, but it might be a part
of the Pacific Ocean.
MR. HARRIS replied that he grew up in Nome and was always under
the impression that the Bering Sea was an extension of the
Pacific Ocean. He has always understood that the Chukchi Sea,
which is just to the north of Kotzebue Sound, is an extension of
the Arctic Ocean.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked if they believe that by including both
the Pacific and Arctic Oceans in the resolution that the entire
coast of Alaska would be encompassed.
MR. HARRIS told him that was the intent.
SENATOR BERT STEDMAN agreed with Senator Cowdery that the Denali
Commission should be encouraged to become involved.
MR. HARRIS said the Bush Caucus has made contact with the
commission and specifically asked about their view on
Shishmaref. With SJR 25, the effort is to lend immediate
protection to these villages in their current location. Many
villages in rural Alaska are facing erosion problems that
require long term solutions, but this is to address immediate
difficulties.
ROBERT VALDATA from Seward wanted to put it on record that the
Kenai Peninsula and Seward has an authorized flood control
district and he was concerned about that area.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS told him the GAO study identified 184
communities throughout Alaska that have potential flood and
erosion problems.
SENATOR GUESS suggested that the "Be It Resolved" portion of the
resolution included all communities in the state that are
dealing with erosion and flooding and are looking for federal
assistance.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS agreed.
JULIANNE BALTAR, Kawerak Incorporated representative, from Nome
spoke in support of SJR 25. She explained that her company is a
Native non-profit consortium in western Alaska that has been
providing assistance to Shishmaref on erosion and relocation
issues.
She told members that Kawerak takes issue with the cost benefit
analysis requirement and they find the Corps of Engineers' cost-
sharing requirement particularly unreasonable. Currently there
is a request to do a Section 14 emergency shoreline protection
project in front of the school in Shishmaref. The funds are
limited to $1 million for federal share, but require a 35
percent cost share from the local community. If the community is
unable to produce the money they won't be able to build the
project. The Corps is now asking for $400,000 to $420,000 to
build about 220 feet of seawall. If the wall isn't built, the
school property is in imminent danger. Right now the teacher
housing is between 12 and 14 feet from the eroding sand bank.
Currently the ground is frozen and that's the only thing that is
slowing the erosion.
Another concern is that the Section 14 Corps program is only for
public land. Even if the school property were saved, the
properties on either side would be offered no help because there
is no funding for them.
In working in Shishmaref, they have found that no single federal
agency is tasked to address erosion and flood problems in rural
Alaska, which is why they support combining agency resources to
address these problems. The Denali Commission is a large player,
but they aren't currently funded to handle erosion and flooding
problems. She suggested that Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) is also adept at handling such situations.
She reiterated her support of SJR 25.
SENATOR GUESS made a motion to move SJR 25 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There
being no objection, it was so ordered.
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