Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124
02/28/2017 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB3 | |
| HB132 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 132 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 3-SMALL VESSEL WASTEWATER EXEMPTION; 1% ART
[Contains mention of HB 117.]
1:33:32 PM
CO-CHAIR STUTES announced that the first order of business would
be SENATE BILL NO. 3, "An Act relating to the regulation of
wastewater discharge from small commercial passenger vessels in
state waters; relating to art requirements for certain public
facilities; and providing for an effective date."
1:34:08 PM
DAVID SCOTT, Staff, Senator Bert Stedman, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Senator Stedman, prime sponsor of SB
3, explained that the proposed legislation would permanently
reinstate the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
current best practices permit program for wastewater for state
ferries and small cruise ships. He noted that there would be no
reduction in current standards or requirements in addition to no
change in DEC authority to restrict when and where discharges
can occur. He said that water quality would continue to improve
as DEC applied its best practices requirements. He added that
DEC would continually review its best practices requirements.
He shared that the Department of Transportation & Public
Facilities (DOT&PF) estimates that without the passage of SB 3,
it would cost millions to install advanced wastewater treatment
systems (AWTS) on state ferries. He explained that the United
States Coast Guard (USCG) closely monitors weight and balance
changes which could make the installation of an AWTS not even
possible or economically viable on small cruise passenger
vessels.
MR. SCOTT continued on to discuss Sections 8 and 9 of SB 3. He
explained that those sections would exempt the two new Alaska
Class Ferries (ACFs) and the replacement vessel for the motor
vessel (M/V) Tustemena from the "one percent for art"
requirement. He elaborated that the current estimated cost for
the "one percent for art" would be $3.5 million. He said that
DOT&PF would instead like to use those funds for safety and
navigational equipment. He noted that the Alaska State Council
on the Arts does not oppose the specific waiver that would be
included in SB 3.
1:36:40 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:36 p.m. to 1:37 p.m.
1:37:41 PM
CO-CHAIR STUTES shared that her constituents have raised
concerns about the "one percent for art" included in SB 3. She
reported that she asked DOT&PF to conduct an inventory of the
art currently on the M/V Tustemena and that she would like to
await the results from the department before acting on the "one
percent for art" portion of SB 3. She stated that she does not
want to impede the progress of the small vessel wastewater
exemption. She opined that the two issues would probably best
be addressed separately. She declared that she had a committee
substitute already drafted that would address only the
wastewater exemption and then the committee could address the
"one percent for art" at a later date with HB 117.
1:39:00 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL moved to adopt the proposed House committee
substitute (CS) for SB 3, Version 30-LS0046\O, Nauman, 2/27/17,
as a working document. There being no objection, Version O was
before the committee.
1:39:27 PM
MATT GRUENING, Staff, Representative Louise Stutes, Alaska State
Legislature, said that the committee had previously heard the
issues but in two separate bills. He explained that the
committee substitute, included in the committee packet, would
remove the "one percent for art" component and leave SB 3 as a
standalone small vessel wastewater exemption bill. He
elaborated that the entirety of the changes under Version O
would remove Sections 8, 9 and 10 to separate the two issues.
CO-CHAIR WOOL moved to report SB 3, Version 30-LS0046\O, Nauman,
2/27/17, out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HCS SB
3(TRA) was moved out of the House Transportation Standing
Committee.
1:40:48 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:40 p.m. to 1:43 p.m.
1:43:42 PM