Legislature(2003 - 2004)
02/03/2003 01:05 PM House RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
February 3, 2003
1:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Mike Chenault, Co-Chair
Representative Hugh Fate, Co-Chair
Representative Beverly Masek, Vice Chair
Representative Carl Gatto
Representative Cheryll Heinze
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative David Guttenberg
Representative Beth Kerttula
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Kelly Wolf
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Ralph Seekins
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
- HEARD
OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
- OVERVIEW CANCELED
TAPES
03-1, SIDE(S) A & B [HOUSE RES TAPE]
CO-CHAIR HUGH FATE convened the meeting of the House Resources
Standing Committee at 1:05 p.m. Representatives Fate, Chenault,
Masek, Gatto, Heinze, Lynn, Guttenberg, and Kerttula were
present at the call to order. Senator Ralph Seekins also was
present during the meeting. Co-Chair Fate announced that
Representative Wolf's absence was excused.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION
ERNESTA BALLARD, Commissioner, Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC), offered a brief synopsis of her career
history, and discussed the different objectives of working in
both the public and the private sectors. She provided and
discussed a handout that listed statutes pertaining to DEC's
role as a department; described state policy with respect to the
environment; highlighted obligations of the department in
performing an internal performance audit as ordered by the
governor in Administrative Order No. 202; discussed her role and
responsibilities as commissioner; listed duties of the
department; and provided information about the organization,
mission, and functions of the various divisions within the
department. Commissioner Ballard introduced various division
directors and acting directors, and called on each to answer
questions relating to his or her particular division.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked Commissioner Ballard questions about
the coordination of DEC with other departments, and if it
concurred with the governor's agenda; discussed the [public's
negative] perception of DEC; and asked questions relating to the
permitting process. Representative Heinze asked questions about
best available technology relating to oil spill response, and
about statutory requirements relating to budgeting, funding, and
conference requirements.
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG highlighted the department's
obligation to balance between [effective] budgeting and its
mission "to protect"; he spoke about evaluating the program
under the mission and measures concept; he also mentioned
reorganization. Representative Guttenberg asked Commissioner
Ballard questions relating to state primacy.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO suggested the community views government
[department's] such as DEC with [fear]; indicated it is often
expensive and debilitating for small businesses to meet DEC's
requirements, and asked if DEC could offer [alternatives] to
"expensive fixes"; and he talked about the impacts of
streamlined permitting. Representative Gatto asked questions
and presented information relating to Mount McKinley Meat and
Sausage.
CO-CHAIR FATE, referring to a streamlined permitting process,
asked Commissioner Ballard what steps she would take to make
permitting more efficient, and whether she expected DEC to need
future legislation to achieve a streamlined permitting process.
LARRY DIETRICK, Director, Division of Spill Prevention and
Response, Department of Environmental Conservation, answered
questions and provided information relating to emergency spill
response, best available technology, and response fund
administration.
REPRESENTATIVE MASEK highlighted the underground storage tank
issue and mentioned future updates on the program; she also
mentioned the Homeland Security Act and asked about a future
update [outlining] DEC's role in the process. Representative
Masek mentioned oil and gas coordination, and asked Commissioner
Ballard to provide a list of proposed projects and [an outline]
of DEC's [role] in helping the industry stakeholders and project
proponents in the oil and gas industry.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN spoke about his goals for [having resource
development] be predictable, stable, and competitive.
KRISTIN RYAN, Acting Director, Division of Environmental Health,
Department of Environmental Conservation, was available for
questions, and noted that the Mount McKinley Meat and Sausage
[viability] issue was not under the realm of her division.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked Commissioner Ballard about her
position on combining the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
and DEC. She also asked Commissioner Ballard to comment on
state primacy and federal programs.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There were no announcements.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The committee took no action.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Resources Standing Committee was adjourned at 1:53 p.m.
NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were
taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by
contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3,
Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and
after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Third
Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.
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