Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
03/17/2020 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Climate Change Action Plan & Policy Recommendation to the Governor | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 17, 2020
8:02 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair
Representative Sara Hannan, Co-Chair
Representative Matt Claman
Representative Sharon Jackson (via teleconference)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Representative Steve Thompson
Representative DeLena Johnson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN & POLICY RECOMMENDATION
TO THE GOVERNOR
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
MIKE LEVINE, Senior Arctic Fellow
Ocean Conservancy
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered a presentation on the Climate
Change Action Plan & Policy Recommendation to the Governor.
LUKE HOPKINS
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered a presentation on the Climate
Change Action Plan & Policy Recommendation to the Governor.
SAM SCHIMMEL
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered a presentation on the Climate
Change Action Plan & Policy Recommendation to the Governor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:02:17 AM
CO-CHAIR HARRIET DRUMMOND called the House Community and
Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:02
a.m. Representatives Drummond, Hannan, Claman, and Jackson (via
teleconference) were present at the call to order.
^PRESENTATION: Climate Change Action Plan & Policy
Recommendation to the Governor
PRESENTATION: Climate Change Action Plan & Policy Recommendation
to the Governor
8:03:00 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the only order of business
would be a presentation on a climate change action plan and
policy recommendations to the governor.
8:03:41 AM
MIKE LEVINE, Senior Arctic Fellow, Ocean Conservancy, said the
scheduled speakers would talk about the Climate Action for
Alaska Leadership Team (CAALT) - its process and product. He
said he would begin by providing a background about the
operation of the team; Luke Hopkins would talk about science and
local governments; and Sam Schimmel would talk about the
importance of action, impacts to Native communities, and the
role of youth in the team process.
8:04:33 AM
MR. LEVINE acknowledged that the coronavirus was front and
center in focus currently, and he thanked the committee for
continuing its work on other important matters. He cited a
report from the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at
the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which he read as follows:
Alaska has recently experienced profound environmental
change related to extreme weather events and
deviations from the historical climate. Sustained
warmth, sea ice loss, coastal flooding, river
flooding, and major ecosystem changes have impacted
the daily lives of Alaskans around the state.
Temperatures have been consistently warmer than any
time in the past century, the growing season has
increased substantially in most areas, and the snow
cover season has shortened. Precipitation has
increased and, like temperature, the changes vary
regionally. The ocean around Alaska is now regularly
warmer than at any time in the past 150 years,
affecting everything from algae to fisheries and human
health.
MR. LEVINE next read from a letter from CAALT to Governor Mike
Dunleavy, as follows:
The science is clear: Alaska communities, economies,
and ecosystems are changing rapidly. Emissions from
the combustion of fossil fuels are the root cause of
these changes, and there is an urgent need to take
action to address both the causes and effects. Alaska
has both the opportunity and obligation to be a leader
in the effort to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of
climate change.
MR. LEVINE continued to emphasize the science behind the claim
that greenhouse gasses are the root cause of climate change, and
he said this affects all aspects of life.
8:06:54 AM
MR. LEVINE said climate change is not a political issue. He
said when former Governor Bill Walker created CAALT, he was
"continuing a line of action set in motion by his predecessors."
The team was created in 2017 via administrative order; several
members were appointed by the governor. He noted that those
members are listed on pages 2 and 3 of the policy recommendation
documents, entitled "Alaska Climate Change Policy
Recommendations to the Governor" [included in the committee
packet]. Members were appointed for three-year terms, and the
lieutenant governor was the chair of the leadership team.
Members came from diverse backgrounds and occupations. Mr.
Levine talked about the meetings and the advisory bodies and
working groups created.
8:09:19 AM
MR. LEVINE said the team was charged with drafting a climate
policy for Alaska and an action for implementing it; some
actions would be best taken through the administration, while
others would be suited to follow the legislative process. The
ultimate goal was to have a policy adopted by the legislature
akin to the Alaska Arctic Policy.
MR. LEVINE, referring again to the aforementioned policy
document, highlighted segments of the vision statement on page
5. He said it sought to: promote social, ecological, cultural,
and economic well-being [of communities]; help achieve food
security, energy security, and environmental security; ensure
healthy ecosystems and prudent natural resource management; and
sustain a robust economy based on Alaskan innovation and
resilience. He explained that the idea was to show that Alaska
can take meaningful action to mitigate and adapt to climate
change while recognizing it is a resource-dependent state.
MR. LEVINE drew attention to the statement of purpose on page 6.
He highlighted that Alaska's economy is currently dependent on
natural resource development, including oil and natural gas
production. Although these resources are finite and contribute
to global greenhouse gas emissions, they also support essential
government services and the state's "ability to adapt and
respond." He said responsible development of those resources,
at least in the short term, was not inconsistent with the policy
statement or actions proposed.
MR. LEVINE named the six broad policy statements related to
climate change, which are shown on page 8: communities and
partnerships; human and ecosystem health; economic opportunity;
clean energy; outreach and education; and investment. Each of
those statements relates to objectives for the state to
implement. He emphasized that the policy document illustrated a
broad consensus among the leadership team.
8:12:34 AM
MR. LEVINE talked about a draft action plan, which he called "a
road map for implementing the policy." The draft action plan is
a list of suggested action related to the six policy statements
and their accompanying suggested actions. He said it is a
manual, and the team hoped it could work with the governor to
prioritize and implement the recommendations. He said "these
documents" were transmitted to the governor in December 2018,
along with a list of short-term actions in a cover letter. The
cover letter included recommendations for three immediate term
steps: to appoint a permanent cabinet-level position focused on
climate change; to commit to developing and promoting
legislation that would codify the climate action policy and
require steps to implement it; and to recognize that climate
communications outreach and public education are essential. Mr.
Levine said at the same time the parallel cabinet climate team
developed a list of short-term actions that could be
implemented, which was also provided to the governor.
MR. LEVINE said once the initial documents were submitted to the
governor, the leadership team began thinking about the work of
prioritizing the proposed actions. He quoted the opening
statement of the policy as follows:
We do not view these documents as the conclusion of
our work; rather we hope to have created a platform
from which the administration and future
administrations can move forward to implement the
climate policy and provide the needed personnel and
support to take action pursuant to that policy. We
stand ready to assist the state in taking action, as
needed, to ensure sustainable communities; vibrant,
diverse economies; and healthy ecosystems for all
Alaskans and future generations.
MR. LEVINE stated that unfortunately the team never got the
chance, because shortly after taking office, Governor Dunleavy
revoked the administrative order that had created the team, thus
ending the work of CAALT.
8:14:45 AM
LUKE HOPKINS said he was former mayor of Fairbanks North Star
Borough and served on former Governor Sarah Palin's subcabinet
climate team. He talked about the meetings held by CAALT, which
included three session to take public comment. He echoed Mr.
Levine's remarks about the importance of diverse representation
on the team. He said the team requested that the governor form
a science advisory group and an oil and gas advisory group, both
of which gave validity to discussion and the team's
publications.
8:19:39 AM
MR. HOPKINS expressed frustration regarding the present state of
climate policy considering the history of climate change efforts
made over the last 30 years. The goals and objectives have been
clearly stated.
MR. HOPKINS talked about his property, with permafrost, and his
care taken to not walk on certain areas to protect vegetation.
He stressed that climate change is affecting the state in many
ways, and he expressed his hope that the state would take action
through the policy recommendations instead of hiding information
from the public, which he indicated has occurred in the past.
8:23:46 AM
MR. HOPKINS offered his understanding that former Governor Palin
had requested a capital appropriation of $10 million, which was
approved by the legislature, and the final expenditure of those
funds was in 2016; therefore, there was financial support for
the work on climate change for almost a decade. Mr. Hopkins
emphasized that money is needed to continue the work. Local
governments are spending money and making efforts. He warned
against a continual restart of state policy regarding climate
change. He said, "We are leading ourselves down a path of start
and stop that is not helpful for our state residents and our
state government."
8:26:07 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND expressed appreciation for Mr. Hopkins' review
of the 30 years' record. She noted that the documents from the
current meeting are not hidden from the public; they are
available on the legislature's website.
8:27:00 AM
SAM SCHIMMEL informed the committee that he is Kenaitze Indian
and Siberian Yupik Eskimo and was a former member of CAALT. He
currently serves on the Climate Action Technical Committee for
the National Foundation for American Indians. He said he would
speak about what climate action means for Native and rural
Alaska, as well as the role of youth in bringing forth the
current recommendations.
MR. SCHIMMEL said people hear about what climate change means,
but rarely about what it feels like. He shared that part of his
youth was spent in Gambell, Alaska, in the Bering Strait, in a
community of about 800 people, primarily Alaska Native. With
limited groceries at exorbitant prices, the lifestyle there was
largely one of subsistence. He talked about going out whaling
as a boy and visiting his great uncle, "the traditional
weatherman," who would determine which direction to go to find
the animals. Climate change created unpredictable weather
patterns that made it impossible for him to make these
determinations towards his final years in life. Mr. Schimmel
said, "What that meant was that our traditional knowledge was no
longer holding the role that it once did, and we could no longer
rely on it." Although this year the community was lucky to have
a large enough ice pack, in prior years there has not been
enough ice, which means that the walrus on which the Native
people rely cannot be harvested. As a result, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has had to fly in canned salmon
to support the diets of the people of Gambell. He stated, "Our
grocery store - the Bering Sea - is changing." He emphasized
that in order for Native communities like his to exist, there
must be climate mitigation and adaptation.
8:31:08 AM
MR. SCHIMMEL said CAALT worked to ensure that the Native way of
being was not impacted by its recommendations and traditional
methods of hunting and gathering were supported "by building in
mechanisms to allow these practices to continue." He said a
larger sea, because of a lack of ice, makes hunting dangerous.
Figuring out ways to allow for different times of harvest was a
factor in the recommendations of CAALT - "the integration of
traditional ecological knowledge with scientific background to
create ... a cohesive climate policy and policy recommendations
regarding ... all aspects of these types of actions." He said
the hope is that "our communities" can continue to carry on as
they have for thousands of years in the face of climate change.
He indicated that that is where the recommendations that have
been given to the committee come into play.
MR. SCHIMMEL highlighted the role of youth in giving feedback
for the recommendations. At one point, over 40 youth gathered
in Anchorage to give their input. He emphasized the importance
of a policy plan put together by people of diverse backgrounds.
8:34:30 AM
MR. SCHIMMEL stressed the importance of perpetuating "life that
has been taking place in Alaska" without "negatively impacting
the economic outlook of the state," adapting to climate change
without "changing how we continue to do business," and "finding
a meaningful solution in that space." He thanked the committee
for taking the time to address this issue. He advised that
while a lot of other things are going on in the world, climate
change is "one thing that won't be going away." He said
adaptive measures will need to be taken in order for his people
to continue living in Gambell. He thanked committee members for
putting their minds together "to make a better Alaska, and to
make an easier Alaska, for Alaska Natives and everybody else."
8:36:01 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND thanked the presenters.
8:36:15 AM
MR. SCHIMMEL, in response to Co-Chair Hannan, talked about the
current situation related to the coronavirus pandemic and his
place at Stanford University, and he said he was currently
attempting to return to Alaska before the bay area in California
entered into its shelter in place phase.
8:37:55 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN talked about the focus of the House Community
and Regional Affairs Standing Committee on community issues of
the state, and how the focus on climate change has been affected
by the current escalation of concern regarding COVID-19. She
expressed appreciation for Mr. Schimmel's work on CAALT, while
speculating that there probably would be no money in the budget
to spend on the climate change recommendations during the
pandemic.
8:40:06 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND said she was aware that while people were
being told to wash their hands, there were dozens of communities
without running water. She said, as Mr. Hopkins had pointed
out, that there have been known issues for the last 30 years,
and she opined that "with the background of climate change, we
should have been able to bring our communities up to speed."
Now, she said, people are being asked to shelter in place.
8:41:27 AM
MR. LEVINE, in response to Co-Chair Hannan's previous remarks,
said one of the comments heard in discussions by the leadership
team, as well as in public comments, was regarding "the
overlapping nature of climate change." As Mr. Schimmel said,
food security and economic opportunity overlap with the
environment in communities and with cultures; they are not
separate issues. He indicated that COVID-19 is also
intertwined.
MR. LEVINE, in his concluding remarks, noted that his son, who
is eight, is a fourth generation Alaskan. He stated his belief
that "we all have an obligation" to ensure future generations
have the same opportunities in Alaska that former generations
had. Mr. Levine said he understands that everyone may not agree
as to the best course of action, but efforts to figure it out
must continue. He said that is what made CAALT successful: the
ability to see its differences and work toward a common goal.
He said he and the other two speakers encourage legislators "to
continue to lead those difficult conversations and to engage
Alaskans in all of them."
8:43:45 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND thanked the presenters again.
8:44:13 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN noted that printed copies of the team's
recommendations were available. She emphasized the importance
of keeping the focus on the issue.
8:45:26 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 8:45 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Climate Actions by Department 3.16.2020.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Climate Change Action Plan Recommendations.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Climate Change Policy Recommendations.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2020 8:00:00 AM |