Legislature(2021 - 2022)BARNES 124
03/16/2022 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB304 | |
| SJR24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 304 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SJR 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SJR 24-END IMPORT OF O&G FROM RUSSIA
1:58:45 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK announced that the final order of business would
be CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 24(RES), Urging President
Biden's Administration and the United States Congress to use
American oil and gas resources to replace oil imported from the
Russian Federation and to increase oil and gas production in the
State of Alaska and other energy-producing states to fortify the
economy and security of the nation.
1:59:23 PM
SENATOR JOSH REVAK, Alaska State Legislature, introduced CSSJR
24(RES) on behalf of the Senate Resources Standing Committee,
prime sponsor. He said the committee is proud of the bipartisan
effort on the resolution and that the resolution received
unanimous support on the Senate floor. He noted that the CS
before the committee reflects that his committee worked together
and made some changes. He explained that CSSJR 24(RES) urges
the federal administration, the US Congress, to utilize the
energy resources of the State of Alaska to offset the import of
Russian oil and gas.
SENATOR REVAK said the resolution further urges the expansion of
US domestic energy production to help fortify and secure the US,
as it is a national security issue. Russia's unprovoked attack
on Ukraine has highlighted the United States' reliance on oil
from Russia and other foreign adversaries. The US annually
imports nearly 220 million barrels of oil from the Russian
Federation. Purchasing that oil has contributed over $20
billion to the Russian Federation, which is more than what was
produced in Alaska. Alaskan oil and gas can help fill the void
left from eliminating the dependence on authoritarian energy
regimes from producers like Russia. The US and other
[democratic] nations cannot be reliant on dictators and tyrants
who have no regard for human life, the environment, energy
needs, or social responsibility. There is a social,
humanitarian, and environmental obligation to divest from the
energy resources of despot-linked countries, while at the same
time there is an opportunity and responsibility to manage
resource development in Alaska responsibly. Global demand isn't
changed by decreasing responsible production in the US, instead
it empowers foreign dictators. This resolution is specifically
geared for national security and is a bi-partisan effort.
2:03:16 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK opened public testimony on CSSJR 24(RES), then
closed public testimony after ascertaining no one wished to
testify.
2:03:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN expressed her support for the resolution.
She reminded the committee that the state plays a role in making
sure it is pushing for developments like Pikka and Willow.
Hurdles have been placed on those developments on the state side
through some of the state's lessees. [The State of Alaska] has
an obligation to ensure that those lessees remember they are
working for [the state] and [the state] wants those projects
developed.
2:05:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS agreed with Representative Hannan and said
the administration needs to permit Pikka yesterday to get that
final investment decision done and get oil flowing by 2025. He
said he agrees with the resolution. A potential next step, he
suggested, is to have various committees look at critical
mineral development, and not just developing the minerals but
the entire supply chain and keeping that supply chain within
North American for long-term security. If [the US] is producing
the critical minerals and China is producing all the components,
[the US] is not secure. The Alaska State Legislature should
think about what Alaska's role is and potentially Canada's role
in bringing those entire supply chains home to North America for
long-term security. The minerals must be produced, refined, and
manufactured into things in North America.
2:06:59 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:06 p.m. to 2:12 p.m.
2:12:27 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK invited additional comments on CSSJR 24(RES).
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER commented that the intent of the
resolution is to get the administration to look to Alaska for
oil and hydrocarbons. He expressed his concern with the word
"unprovoked" on page 2, line 19, because it is debatable on what
that word means. He agreed, however, that there is aggression
and said he will therefore let the resolution move on because it
needs to happen soon.
SENATOR REVAK thanked the committee and welcomed collaborative
efforts in the future.
2:14:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS moved to report CSSJR 24(RES) from
committee with individual recommendations and the attached
[zero] fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSJR 24(RES) was
moved out of the House Resources Standing Committee.