Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/11/1998 01:11 PM House TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CSSB 259(TRA) AM - METROPOLITAN PLANNING AUTHORITY [This portion of the meeting was with the House Transportation Committee members only]. Number 1850 CHAIRMAN BILL WILLIAMS announced the committee would address CSSB 259(TRA) AM, "An Act relating to the membership of a metropolitan highway planning organization," sponsored by the Senate Transportation Committee. Number 1905 SENATOR DAVE DONLEY came before the commtitee. He explained the federal government requires that cities over 50 thousand have a metropolitan planning organization in place to be able to utilize federal funds for programs in their cities. There are additional federal planning requirements when a metropolitan area is over 200 thousand. He pointed out this bill would set out in state statute how such a committee would be organized in Alaska. The one that is organized is the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS). Senator Donley said it's organized by an operating agreement between the governor and the mayor. The governor would have two appointments and the mayor would have himself and two appointments which have been two assembly members. The only elected officials, representing the City of Anchorage, that aren't included on that committee are legislators. Number 1947 SENATOR DONLEY said the Anchorage Caucus, the 26 legislators that represent some portion of Anchorage, set this is a priority that there be legislative involvement in that planning process and recommended SB 259, which is sponsored by the Senate Transportation Committee. He mentioned it passed the Senate unanimously [February 24, 1998]. Senator Donley explained that it would set out that the committee would exist of six members instead of five members and would say that the governor would appoint one member, one member would be from the House of Representatives chosen by the members from that area and one member from the Senate chosen by the members from that area. Number 1985 SENATOR DONLEY referred to a letter from the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) [January 30, 1998] saying that this would not endanger our federal funds in any way, although they're not expressing an opinion, there's nothing in federal law that requires it to be constructed the way it currently is. Number 2041 MITCHELL GRAVO, Lobbyist, Municipality of Anchorage, came before the committee. He informed the committee that there has been some discussion with the [Anchorage] Assembly and the mayor on this issue, and he believes Senator Donley also had further discussions with them about some potential changes that might make everyone happy on this issue. Mr. Gravo said the Anchorage members have a resolution and a letter from the assembly stating their position. There were some members who wanted to testify today but weren't able to because of the teleconference issue. He reiterated that they want to continue to work with Senator Donley to come up with a potential solution that makes both the legislature and the local government happy on this issue. REPRESENTATIVE BILL HUDSON asked what the next committee of referral is. CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS responded the House Rules Committee. Number 2108 TOM BRIGHAM, Director, Division of Statewide Planning, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT/PF), testified in opposition to SB 259. He said he assumes committee members have heard from the Municipality of Anchorage and stressed that DOT/PF is not in favor of the bill. Some reasons that are straightforward and obvious. It reduces the governor's appointees on AMATS from two to one. Secondly, at this point in time when Anchorage is being considered as a serious non-attainment area [of air quality standard with regard to carbon monoxide], it seems unwise to, in effect, take a Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) representative off of AMATS. He indicated Fairbanks has just gone from moderate to serious non-attainment, there's talk of that happening to Anchorage. He indicated he frankly doesn't know the probability of that at this point in time, but Anchorage is still being considered classified in the non-attainment status. Mr. Brigham said, "Our sense it's's probably unwise to eject, in effect, DEC from AMATS if that's the case." Number 2167 REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON stated that apparently the members of the Anchorage Caucus have heard Anchorage's position. Maybe someone can tell him what the municipality's position is at this point in time. Number 2181 SENATOR DONLEY replied the Anchorage Caucus, assembly and mayor had a series of meetings. The original proposal was just to add two legislators. They felt that would skew the balance of power in favor of the state because you would have four state members and three local members. He said the proposal was then modified so there would be a balance, deleting the one governor position so that it would be three and three. He said in his latest conversion with the assembly, they'd like to see it a four to three. He indicated he's been talking to Senator Ward and would like to get the chairman of the Transportation Committee involved in that discussion also. SENATOR DONLEY concluded, "I think they're [Anchorage Assembly] opposed to it the way it is now, but I think there's an opportunity to do another step here which, hopefully, we'd do before the Rules Committee proposal to have a balance appear like that with Senator Ward's cooperation on that. Additionally, I'd point out that one of the Anchorage positions is a representative to Southcentral Clean Air Coalition or that provision, so there is currently a designated spot also, as far as air quality concerns, also on the existing AMATS. Obviously, DEC has a roll in that too." Number 2237 REPRESENTATION JOHN COWDERY made a motion to move CSSB 259 (TRA) out of committee with individual recommendations and with the attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSB 259 (TRA) moved out of the House Transportation Standing Committee.
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