Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

03/22/2023 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

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Audio Topic
02:44:53 PM Start
02:45:53 PM HB83
02:49:08 PM Confirmation Hearing(s):|| Department of Natural Resources, Commissioner
03:04:10 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Delayed to 2:45 PM --
+= HB 83 CITIZEN ADVISORY COMM ON FEDERAL AREAS TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 83 Out of Committee
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
+ Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
Department of Natural Resources -
Commissioner-Designee John Boyle
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         March 22, 2023                                                                                         
                           2:44 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tom McKay, Chair                                                                                                 
Representative George Rauscher, Vice Chair                                                                                      
Representative Kevin McCabe                                                                                                     
Representative Dan Saddler                                                                                                      
Representative Stanley Wright                                                                                                   
Representative Jennie Armstrong                                                                                                 
Representative Donna Mears                                                                                                      
Representative Maxine Dibert                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Josiah Patkotak                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 83                                                                                                               
"An Act reestablishing the Citizens' Advisory Commission on                                                                     
Federal Management Areas in Alaska; and providing for an                                                                        
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 83 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Department of Resources, Commissioner                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     John Boyle - Anchorage                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  83                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: CITIZEN ADVISORY COMM ON FEDERAL AREAS                                                                             
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RAUSCHER                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
02/27/23       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/27/23       (H)       RES, FIN                                                                                               
02/27/23       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
02/27/23       (H)       Scheduled but Not Heard                                                                                
03/15/23       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/15/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/15/23       (H)       MINUTE(RES)                                                                                            
03/22/23       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
JOHN BOYLE, Commissioner Designee                                                                                               
Department of Natural Resources                                                                                                 
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:   Testified  as commissioner designee  to the                                                             
Department of Natural Resources.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:44:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  TOM MCKAY  called the  House Resources  Standing Committee                                                             
meeting to order at 2:44  p.m.  Representatives Wright, Rauscher,                                                               
Saddler, Mears, Armstrong, and McKay  were present at the call to                                                               
order.  Representatives McCabe and  Dibert arrived as the meeting                                                               
was in progress.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          HB 83-CITIZEN ADVISORY COMM ON FEDERAL AREAS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:45:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY announced  that the first order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 83, "An  Act reestablishing the Citizens' Advisory                                                               
Commission on  Federal Management Areas in  Alaska; and providing                                                               
for an effective date."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:46:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCKAY   opened  public   testimony  on   HB  83.     After                                                               
ascertaining there  was no one  who wished to testify,  he closed                                                               
public testimony.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY noted that there were no amendments.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:47:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER,  as prime  sponsor, said  HB 83  is long                                                               
overdue and  encouraged fellow committee  members to pass  it out                                                               
of committee.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:48:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  moved to report  HB 83 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There  being no objection, HB 83 was  reported out of the                                                               
House Resources Standing Committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                                       
^Department of Natural Resources, Commissioner                                                                                  
                    CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                
         Department of Natural Resources, Commissioner                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
2:49:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN   BOYLE,  Commissioner   Designee,  Department   of  Natural                                                               
Resources (DNR), first  noted that it is nice to  have moments of                                                               
levity in public service.   He further commented that everyone is                                                               
here to serve fellow Alaskans,  and accepting positions in public                                                               
service came with responsibilities.   He stated he looked forward                                                               
to working with the committee.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:50:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCKAY thanked  Mr. Boyle  and invited  questions from  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:50:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MEARS offered  Mr. Boyle  her understanding  that                                                               
the  purpose   of  the   commissioner  was  to   be  more   of  a                                                               
representative of the government as  a whole rather than partisan                                                               
interests, and  that she had  concerns with some of  his comments                                                               
after the Willow  ruling.  She said that she  hoped in the future                                                               
he would stay more in the neutral zone.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:51:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  paraphrased the mission statement  of DNR                                                               
and  asked Mr.  Boyle  what  his priority  would  be  to try  and                                                               
advance the mission.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. BOYLE said addressing the  pressing energy challenge with the                                                               
high cost  of energy for  all residents in the  state, especially                                                               
rural communities.   When people must spend more  for heating and                                                               
powering their homes than on their  mortgages, it is not a recipe                                                               
for sustainability, he  said.  He stated that an  effort that DNR                                                               
can embark  upon is looking at  ways to utilize the  endowment of                                                               
resources that  the state is  blessed to have to  provide relief,                                                               
so there can be abundant and affordable energy.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:53:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked for specifics  on how he  might use                                                               
his status as commissioner to advance his goals.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. BOYLE said there are  many initiatives currently being looked                                                               
at,  such as  laying  the groundwork  for what  can  be done  for                                                               
energy alternatives.   As  a state  that sits  along the  ring of                                                               
fire, he explained, there is  tremendous potential for geothermal                                                               
and its  values.  He  further explained potentials  for different                                                               
sources of  energy that included hydroelectric  generation, wind,                                                               
solar, and having a major gas line in the state.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER thanked  Mr. Boyle  for his  service and                                                               
offered his support.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:57:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE thanked Mr. Boyle for his leadership.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:57:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT  thanked Mr.  Boyle for his  willingness to                                                               
step up for the position.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:58:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  stated that  he  is  optimistic for  Mr.                                                               
Boyle's   confirmation  and   acknowledged  the   "rough  waters"                                                               
fiscally that the  state faced.  He asked Mr.  Boyle for any idea                                                               
on how DNR can operate efficiently.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:58:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. BOYLE replied that he was  optimistic about the future of the                                                               
state.  He offered his belief  that Alaska is inspiring and there                                                               
is  great  promise.    He  reiterated  the  incredible  array  of                                                               
resources  the state  possessed, and  with the  right management,                                                               
many benefits can  be brought to the state and  ultimately to the                                                               
country.   He  said one  of the  greatest assets  DNR has  is its                                                               
people, and  he offered  a personal example  of the  high caliber                                                               
staff he  had worked with.   He said he  hoped Alaska would  be a                                                               
place where many  generations would want to stay  and build their                                                               
lives.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:03:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCKAY moved  to advance  the confirmation  of John  Boyle,                                                               
commissioner designee  for the  Department of  Natural Resources,                                                               
to the joint  session of the House and  Senate for consideration.                                                               
He   reminded  members   that  signing   the  reports   regarding                                                               
appointment  to  boards  and  commissions  in  no  way  reflected                                                               
individual members'  approval or  disapproval of  the appointees,                                                               
and  that  the nominations  were  merely  forwarded to  the  full                                                               
legislature  for  confirmation  or  rejection.   There  being  no                                                               
objection, the confirmation was advanced.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:04:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Resources meeting was adjourned at 3:04 p.m.                                                                                    

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 83 Supporting Document SCI AK SCI Kenai 3.21.23 (1).pdf HRES 3/22/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 83
john Boyle Resume_Redacted.pdf HRES 3/22/2023 1:00:00 PM