03/04/1999 05:00 PM House WTR

HJR 15 - SUPPORT AMERICAN LAND SOVEREIGNTY ACT                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 7283                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES announced the next order of business was House Joint                                                               
Resolution No. 15, "Relating to support for an 'American Land                                                                   
Sovereignty Protection Act' in the United States Congress."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MYRNA MCGHIE, Legislative Administrative Assistant for                                                                          
Representative Jeannette James, Alaska State Legislature, stated                                                                
that the language of HJR 15 has been changed since the drafting of                                                              
the bill and there is an amendment.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES clarified that when HJR 15 is moved out of committee,                                                              
the amendment will be moved to bring the resolution in compliance                                                               
with what is presently before the U.S. Congress.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS requested, in the interest of time and due                                                              
to the fact that the bill was supported last year, that the                                                                     
committee move to make the amendment on it and vote to support                                                                  
this.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES concurred with Representative Phillips, and                                                                        
acknowledged that people were standing by to testify.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS made a motion to adopt Amendment 1 of HJR
.  There being no objection, the amendment was adopted.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY made a motion to move HJR 15, as amended,                                                                
from the committee with the attached fiscal note and asked                                                                      
unanimous consent.  There being no objection, CSHJR 15(WTR) was                                                                 
moved out of committee with individual recommendation.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 99-05, SIDE A                                                                                                              
Number 0026                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES apologized to the people that testified on HB 109 for                                                              
the committee's inability to move it from committee, but assured                                                                
them that the committee would continue to work on it.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES stated, "It's extremely important that we put                                                              
on the record that Glacier Bay National Park is a biosphere                                                                     
reserve.  The one thing that we're wanting here to happen, that is                                                              
part of the man-in-the-biosphere convention which has never been                                                                
accepted by the U.S. Senate.  It's very important, and I wouldn't                                                               
have -- I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of the problems                                                                  
we're having in Glacier Bay now is because of the fact that it is                                                               
a biosphere reserve, and that's working underneath all of the other                                                             
issues.  I had to say that."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES asked Representative James to point out that a                                                                     
biosphere reserve is not just the area within the national park,                                                                
but is a 250 mile circumference around the park.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES clarified that there is a core area where                                                                  
nothing is supposed to happen, a surrounding area with very limited                                                             
human input and than the area around that is where normal                                                                       
activities take place.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BARNES noted that she is greatful that Representative James                                                               
continues to discuss these issues.