02/18/2000 03:08 PM Senate RES

               SB 194-CHILKAT BALD EAGLE PRESERVE                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
CHAIRMAN HALFORD called the Senate  Resources Committee meeting to                                                            
order  at   3:08  p.m.  and  announced   SB  194  to  be   up  for                                                              
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. BOB  LOEFFLER, Department of  Natural Resources  (DNR), stated                                                              
support for SB 194 but suggested  the following change to make the                                                              
bill better.   Certain provisions  within Title 38 require  DNR to                                                              
do  things that  the  Legislature  was trying  to  exempt it  from                                                              
doing. If  SB 194 said  "notwithstanding AS  38" and left  out the                                                              
"050.35(e),"  it would expedite  the process and  be cheaper.   He                                                              
explained  DNR  would still  reserve  the  mineral rights  and  an                                                              
easement along the river and provide public notice.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked what DNR wouldn't do.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOEFFLER  said DNR would not  do a land exchange.   The change                                                              
would exempt DNR  from "the kind of land exchange  provisions that                                                              
exchanging one parcel  for another expects."  DNR  would do a best                                                              
interest finding, but it wouldn't do the land exchange.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked if the bill  would say "Notwithstanding all                                                              
of Title 38."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.LOEFFLER replied, "All of 38."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PARNELL noted the bill already  has a zero fiscal note and                                                              
questioned how the change would result in a savings.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOEFFLER responded  that DNR has a backlog of  leases so he is                                                              
assuming that  if DNR fixes this one,  it could go on  to the next                                                              
lease and make another Alaskan happy.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MACKIE moved  to delete "AS 38.050.35(e)."   There were no                                                              
objections and it was so ordered.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
There being  no further  testimony or  discussion, SENATOR  MACKIE                                                              
moved    CSSB   194(RES)    from    committee   with    individual                                                              
recommendations.  There were no objections  and it was so ordered.