Legislature(2011 - 2012)BARNES 124
03/22/2011 03:00 PM House ENERGY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR20 | |
| HJR23 | |
| HCR9 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 23 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HJR 23-HYDROELECTRIC POWER; RENEWABLE ENERGY
3:51:40 PM
CO-CHAIR FOSTER announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 23, Urging the United States
Congress to classify hydroelectric power as a renewable and
alternative energy source.
3:51:48 PM
DIRK CRAFT, Staff, Representative Lance Pruitt and the House
Special Committee on Energy, introduced HJR 23 on behalf of the
House Special Committee on Energy. Mr. Craft advised that the
U.S. has long used targeted tax credit programs to incentivize
investment and innovation in the energy sector, both for fossil
and renewable resources; in fact, Investment and Production Tax
Credits for renewable energy have been highly successful. The
hydropower industry is creating jobs and affordable and
renewable power, and private investment has often been driven by
smart tax policies. In Alaska, hydroelectric (hydro) power has
the potential to replace diesel-generated power with little to
no environmental impact, but receives only one-half of the tax
credits available to other renewable energy sources. He pointed
out that there are almost 50 hydropower projects in Alaska that
supply 24 percent of Alaska's electricity, large and small, and
there are many potential sites for the development of future
hydropower. Provided in the committee packet was a copy of U.S.
Senator Lisa Murkowski's proposed federal legislation seeking to
incentivize further production of hydropower resources by
classifying hydro power as a renewable source of energy.
3:54:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER called attention to page 2, line 9, of
the resolution, and asked what federal renewable and alternative
energy programs do not classify hydro power as a renewable or
alternative energy source.
MR. CRAFT said he did not know; however, the resolution is
focused on production tax credit incentives.
3:55:06 PM
HAP SYMMONDS, Chair, Board of Directors, Cordova Electric
Cooperative, Inc., in response to Representative Saddler's
question, noted that federal laws dealing with not classifying
hydro as a renewable resource are related to financing; in fact,
cooperatives in Alaska that are building hydropower projects are
not eligible for federal financing as green energy or renewable
projects. Mr. Symmonds relayed his efforts - beginning 15 years
ago - to rectify this situation, and said he was very supportive
of Senator Murkowski's bill and HJR 23.
3:57:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1.
CO-CHAIR FOSTER objected for discussion purposes.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK explained that unlike Washington and Oregon,
Alaska is unique in its hydro resources. His intent is to
reclassify hydro plants as renewable - without making Alaska an
exception - by language stating that hydro can be reclassified
as long as there is no economic competition for the water
resource with municipalities, agriculture, or others.
Representative Tuck stressed that the language should help all
hydro projects in the U.S., yet allay the concerns about hydro
that do not apply to Alaska.
3:58:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked for the proposed language.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK proposed the following:
On page 2, line 17, after "alternative energy source"
add ", as long as there is no economic competition for
the water resource,"
3:59:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER expressed his hesitation to condition the
resolution and thereby raise the test of applicability.
CO-CHAIR PRUITT wished to be line with the intent of Senator
Murkowski's bill and noted that her bill did not include this
wording.
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN conversed with U.S. Senator Mark Begich,
who said the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources is hoping to include this definition in a future bill.
4:02:20 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK clarified that the conceptual amendment
would have language to put a condition on hydro to address the
concerns of the rest of the nation about hydro that are not
shared by Alaska. The condition would help Alaska - and some
other communities throughout the nation - by showing that there
are places where there is no economic competition for water
resources.
4:05:15 PM
[HJR 23 was heard and held for further testimony.]
4:05:36 PM