Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
02/23/2024 08:00 AM House ARCTIC POLICY, ECONOMIC DEV., & TOURISM
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Bridging the Digital Divide | |
| Presentation(s): Arctic Encounter | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC POLICY,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM
February 23, 2024
8:07 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Thomas Baker, Chair
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Maxine Dibert
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative Jesse Sumner
Representative Jennie Armstrong
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
HEARD
PRESENTATION(S): ARCTIC ENCOUNTER
HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
SAM ENOKA, Founder & CEO
Greensparc
San Francisco, California
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave the Bridging the Digital Divide
presentation.
RACHEL KALLANDER, JD, Founder and CEO
Arctic Encounter
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave the Arctic Encounter presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:07:04 AM
CHAIR BAKER called the House Special Committee on Energy meeting
to order at 8:07 a.m. Representatives Baker, Rauscher, Tilton,
and Dibert were present at the call to order.
^PRESENTATION(S): BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
PRESENTATION(S): BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
8:07:51 AM
CHAIR BAKER announced that the first order of business would be
the Bridging the Digital Divide presentation.
8:08:12 AM
SAM ENOKA, Founder & CEO, Greensparc, commenced the Bridging the
Digital Divide presentation via PowerPoint [hardcopy included in
the committee packet]. He began on slide 1, which explained
what a data center is. He moved to slide 2, which describe what
the term "the edge" means with regards to data storage. He
continued to slide 3, which gave a brief history of Greensparc's
involvement in Alaska's data industry. He moved to slide 4,
which displayed a photo of Greensparc's cooperative electric
building in Cordova, Alaska.
8:15:52 AM
MR. ENOKA responded to questions from Representative Rauscher.
He explained that the word "latency" refers to any delay in
internet service. He said more communities in Alaska are served
by satellite Internet service than fiber-optic Internet service.
8:18:06 AM
MR. ENOKA resumed the presentation on slide 5, which displayed a
series of companies currently in the market for "edge" Internet
services. In response to Representative Rauscher, he advised
that fiber-optic Internet services are the fastest but also the
costliest. He moved on to slide 6, which described challenges
of equity faced by Internet providers in Alaska. He continued
to slide 7, which described Greensparc's individual economic
impacts at each of its locations in Alaska. He moved to side 8,
which posed the question of the necessity of Internet services
in rural communities. In response to a question from
Representative Rauscher as to why Greensparc is putting itself
forward as an Internet provider in Alaska, he said Greensparc's
infrastructure is highly energy efficient and comparable to that
of the University of Alaska system's energy and Internet grid.
He then concluded his presentation on slide 9 and offered to
answer any questions from the committee.
8:27:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT asked how Greensparc's internet prices
compare to the average rate currently being paid in Alaska.
MR. ENOKA responded by characterizing his business model as
"wholesale" and meant to serve Internet providers directly, not
individuals. In response to a follow-up question, he said
Greensparc infrastructure would enable Internet providers to
have better connectivity in "dead areas" such as an area in
Fairbanks, Alaska, mentioned by Representative Dibert.
CHAIR BAKER thanked Mr. Enoka for his presentation.
^PRESENTATION(S): ARCTIC ENCOUNTER
PRESENTATION(S): ARCTIC ENCOUNTER
8:34:23 AM
CHAIR BAKER announced that the final order of business would be
the Arctic Encounter presentation.
8:35:01 AM
RACHEL KALLANDER, JD, Founder and CEO, Arctic Encounter, began
the Arctic Encounter PowerPoint presentation [hardcopy included
in the committee packet]. She showed slide 2, which explained
the relevance and history of her company, Arctic Encounter. She
moved to slide 3, which highlighted the role that Alaska plays
in the changing physical and political landscape of the Arctic.
She continued to slide 4, which touched on Arctic Encounter's
flagship annual convention in Anchorage, Alaska, and moved to
slide 5, which highlighted international meetings in which
Arctic Encounter has engaged. She continued to slide 6, which
called attention to Arctic Encounter's engagement abroad with
other Arctic nations. She moved to slide 7, which explained the
importance of the international meetings on the Arctic.
8:43:54 AM
MS. KALLANDER continued to slide 8, which explained how the
Arctic is changing and the role that Alaska plays in its future.
She moved to slide 9, which highlighted the role that Alaska and
the Arctic play in national security. She continued to slide
10, which displayed an image of a child's handwritten message to
world leaders about the state of their community as it is being
affected by climate change. Ms. Kallender concluded her
presentation on slide 11 and offered to answer any questions
from the committee.
8:49:44 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT commented that she appreciated the long
list of international stakeholders visiting Arctic Encounter's
convention but wished to ensure that Indigenous elders are
included in Arctic Encounter's convention.
MS. KALLANDER echoed the importance of including Elders in
Arctic Encounter's conferences. In response to a follow-up
inquiry from Representative Dibert, she said she does not know
any of the implications regarding the University of Alaska
Fairbanks' (UAF's) push to become a tier 1 university.
8:53:14 AM
CHAIR BAKER thanked Ms. Kallender for her presentation and
delivered committee announcements.
8:53:42 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee On Arctic Policy, Economic Development, and
Tourism meeting was adjourned at 8:53 AM.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 02 23 H Arctic Greensparc Presentation.pdf |
HAET 2/23/2024 8:00:00 AM |
Green Sparc Presentation |
| Arctic Encounter Presentation to AK Leg_Feb. 23, 2024.pdf |
HAET 2/23/2024 8:00:00 AM |