02/10/1994 08:00 AM House STA

  HCR 29 COMMEND AIR FORCE: ENVIR IMPACT STATEMENT                             
                                                                               
  COLONEL RICHARD HASSEN, ALCOM, ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE,                     
  testified by offnet teleconference in favor of HCR 29.  He                   
  stated the Air Force's approach is to gain approval for the                  
  necessary training areas that are essential to their mission                 
  in Alaska, but the overall goal is to seek a balance between                 
  necessary training and respect for the environment.  To                      
  illustrate how they seek this balance, COLONEL HASSAN spoke                  
  about the Air Force Military Operations Area Environmental                   
  Impact Statement (EIS) process.  He said last year the Air                   
  Force announced their intent to prepare an EIS with proposed                 
  adjustments to military air space in Alaska.  The purpose of                 
  the EIS was to analyze potential environmental impacts on                    
  these proposed changes in accordance with the National                       
  Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  COLONEL HASSAN stressed                    
  that from the beginning of the EIS effort the Air Force has                  
  sought maximum participation from the Alaskan public by                      
  holding meetings in locations throughout the state.  The                     
  input gathered will be considered and addressed in the EIS                   
  and will become a part of the Environmental Impact Statement                 
  analysis.                                                                    
                                                                               
  COLONEL HASSEN mentioned four significant points about the                   
  Air Force Military Operations Area EIS:  1) the changes are                  
  only proposed, the Air Force is more than a year away from                   
  any decisions; 2) the proposal is not expected to increase                   
  the overall firing military activity in Alaska; 3) the                       
  proposal will not change the public's existing right to                      
  access any air space; and 4) the Air Force is serious about                  
  public involvement.  He said several adjustments have                        
  already been incorporated into the original proposal because                 
  of issues raised by concerned Alaskans.  The draft EIS is                    
  scheduled to be released this coming summer.                                 
                                                                               
  Number 136                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR VEZEY asked COLONEL HASSAN to characterize the safety                  
  aspects of the proposal.                                                     
                                                                               
  Number 149                                                                   
                                                                               
  COLONEL HASSEN noted there are two very significant                          
  outcomes.  First, the Air Force believes that turning                        
  temporary military operations areas into permanent military                  
  operations air space is simply a terminology change as far                   
  as the FAA and most citizens are concerned.  He said a                       
  significant sidelight is, when changing temporary to                         
  permanent air space, that air space then becomes charted on                  
  air space maps, which are available to all pilots.  He                       
  further stated that when air space is charted, it acts as an                 
  additional advisory so people know where the Air Force is                    
  allowed to train.  Secondly, the Air Force believes that                     
  over $1 million can be saved by not having to obtain                         
  approval from the FAA for temporary air space.  He gave an                   
  example of how the Air Force requested approval for the same                 
  space nine times over the last three years.                                  
                                                                               
  Number 185                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS asked CHAIR VEZEY to affirm that HCR
 is a letter of support for this action to take place and                  
  asked if the actual change had to be done at the federal                     
  level.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 192                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR VEZEY told REPESENTATIVE B. DAVIS she was correct.  He                 
  added HCR 29 commends the Air Force for the open nature of                   
  the EIS in support of a change in the federal declaration of                 
  Alaskan airspace.                                                            
                                                                               
  Number 199                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS asked if there were any current                      
  bills in Congress which HCR 29 could be tied to.                             
                                                                               
  Number 201                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR VEZEY did not believe so.                                              
                                                                               
  Number 203                                                                   
                                                                               
  COLONEL HASSEN was not aware of any bills.  He noted that                    
  the Air Force operates under and received guidance for                       
  preparing the EIS from NEPA.  COLONEL HASSAN pointed out                     
  that the Air Force elected to proceed with the full EIS                      
  approach in order to get the up-front, whole public                          
  environment in their proposal, and going through the EIS                     
  process provided this opportunity for public particpation.                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR VEZEY asked for a recommendation from the committee.                   
                                                                               
  Number 229                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS moved that HCR 29 be passed out of                   
  committee with individual recommendations.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 231                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR VEZEY recognized REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS' motion.  The                 
  committee secretary called the roll and HCR 29 passed                        
  unanimously from the House State Affairs Committee with                      
  individual recommendations.  HCR 29 will proceed to the                      
  House Rules Committee.