Legislature(2021 - 2022)BARNES 124
04/28/2021 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB98 | |
| HB171 | |
| HB98 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 171 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 98 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 28, 2021
1:48 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Josiah Patkotak, Chair
Representative Grier Hopkins, Vice Chair
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Calvin Schrage
Representative Sara Hannan
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Mike Cronk
Representative Ronald Gillham
Representative Tom McKay
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 98
"An Act relating to forest land use plans; relating to forest
land use plan appeals; relating to negotiated timber sales; and
providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 98(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 171
"An Act relating to pollutants; relating to perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substances; relating to the duties of the
Department of Environmental Conservation; relating to
firefighting substances; relating to thermal remediation of
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 98
SHORT TITLE: FOREST LAND USE PLANS; TIMBER SALES
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
02/18/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/18/21 (H) RES, FIN
03/12/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
03/12/21 (H) Heard & Held
03/12/21 (H) MINUTE(RES)
03/19/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
03/19/21 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
04/14/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/14/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/14/21 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/19/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/19/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/19/21 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/22/21 (H) RES WAIVED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE, RULE
23(A) UC
04/23/21 (H) RES AT 10:30 AM BARNES 124
04/23/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/23/21 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/23/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/23/21 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/28/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 171
SHORT TITLE: PFAS USE & REMEDIATION; FIRE/WATER SAFETY
SPONSOR(s): HANNAN
04/12/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/12/21 (H) RES, FIN
04/26/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/26/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/26/21 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/28/21 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
GRACE ERVINE, Staff
Representative Josiah Patkotak
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information during the hearing on
HB 98.
TIM DABNEY, Acting State Forester/Acting Director
Division of Forestry (DOF)
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during the hearing on HB 98.
TIM CLARK, Staff
Representative Sara Hannan
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during the hearing on HB 171 on behalf of Representative Hannan,
prime sponsor.
RANDY KRAUSE, Fire Chief
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Port of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during the hearing on HB 171.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:48:14 PM
CHAIR JOSIAH PATKOTAK called the House Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:48 p.m. Representatives
Schrage, Gillham, Hannan, McKay, Fields, Cronk, Hopkins, and
Patkotak were present at the call to order. Representative
Rauscher arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 98-FOREST LAND USE PLANS; TIMBER SALES
1:49:00 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 98, "An Act relating to forest land use plans;
relating to forest land use plan appeals; relating to negotiated
timber sales; and providing for an effective date."
CHAIR PATKOTAK announced that the committee had completed the
amendment process at its 4/24/21 hearing on HB 98, and
Legislative Legal and Research Services had drafted a document
incorporating those changes, a proposed committee substitute
(CS) for HB 98, Version 32-GH1607\B, Radford, 4/26/21 ("Version
B").
1:49:35 PM
GRACE ERVINE, Staff, Representative Josiah Patkotak, Alaska
State Legislature, reviewed the Summary of Changes from the
original version of HB 98 to Version B, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Section One: Uncodified Law Includes new legislative
intent.
Section Three: 38.05.110 (c) Adds language requiring
the commissioner to consider detrimental effects on
the surrounding environment and effects on wildlife
habitat of a timber sale when determining applicable
provisions under which to offer timber.
Section Nine: 38.05.118 Adds new subsection (e)
allowing the commissioner to require a purchaser
provide additional analysis and/or retain a consultant
to provide needed financial or technical data to
complete a best interest finding for a sale.
Section Twelve: 41.15.030 (b) Removes language
prohibiting general fund appropriations to be used for
emergency firefighting personnel engaged in
nonemergency activities.
Section Fourteen: Repealer Section Deletes reference
to AS 38.05.123(g) from the list of repealed sections.
1:52:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CRONK, directing his question to Mr. Dabney,
asked whether Section 3 of Version B is already in the Forest
Resources and Practices Act (FRPA).
1:52:40 PM
TIM DABNEY, Acting State Forester/Acting Director, Division of
Forestry (DOF), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), explained
that the language in question lists the factors to be considered
when deciding on a negotiated sale, rather than being associated
with environmental issues. He said there are other areas in HB
98 covering environmental issues that are also covered by FRPA.
Mr. Dabney, in providing closing comments on HB 98, said that
Version B is acceptable to DOF.
1:54:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS said that he would not support HB 98
without language regarding hiring Alaska residents. He opined
that streamlining a process to benefit multinational companies
without ensuring local benefits does not meet the constitutional
mandate to maximize benefits for Alaskans.
1:56:43 PM
MR. DABNEY said that he hoped to have the support of committee
members.
1:57:26 PM
[Although no motion had been stated, the committee treated
Version B as having been adopted and, thus, before the committee
as a working document.]
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS moved to report CSHB 98, Version 32-
GH1607\B, Radford, 4/26/21, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note.
1:57:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS objected.
1:58:09 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives McKay, Cronk,
Rauscher, Gillham, and Patkotak voted in favor of the motion to
move CSHB 98, Version 32-GH1607\B, Radford, 4/26/21, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
zero fiscal note. Representatives Fields, Hopkins, Hannan, and
Schrage voted against it. Therefore, CSHB 98(RES) was reported
out of the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
1:58:45 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:59 p.m. to 2:01 p.m.
HB 171-PFAS USE & REMEDIATION; FIRE/WATER SAFETY
2:01:54 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 171, "An Act relating to pollutants; relating
to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; relating to
the duties of the Department of Environmental Conservation;
relating to firefighting substances; relating to thermal
remediation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance
contamination; and providing for an effective date."
2:02:39 PM
TIM CLARK, Staff, Representative Sara Hannan, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Hannan, prime sponsor
of HB 171, noted that the committee packet included the full
report from the Michigan Science Advisory Workgroup with
methodology for setting maximum allowable levels of
perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as the basis for the
language in HB 171 specifying the seven PFAS compounds to be
regulated. He explained that, with regard to the text of AS
46.03.345(a), the action described is the regulatory practice
within the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), so
the proposed legislation could be characterized as codifying
that practice.
2:06:06 PM
RANDY KRAUSE, Fire Chief, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport,
Port of Seattle, said that the Port of Seattle has been working
with partners at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to
implement the use of a fluorine-free firefighting foam. He said
that, while federal law currently requires the use of
firefighting foam that includes PFAS chemicals, the airport
director has urged FAA to aggressively pursue a fluorine-free
option. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 requires the
evaluation and implementation of fluorine-free foam by October
2021, which many airports around the world have already done.
He said that he has observed the use of fluorine-free foam with
"great success" and is confident that FAA will reach a solution
by the October deadline.
2:08:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked for more detail on the different
types of firefighting foam.
MR. KRAUSE explained that many other countries have switched to
fluorine-free products with "great success" both in performance
and the ability to effectively mitigate fires. He said that he
sits on an advisory panel for FAA and that various products are
being tested.
2:10:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked Mr. Krause to discuss the
characteristics of oil and gas fires and possible developments
in using fluorine-free products for that industry.
MR. KRAUSE said that the foam containing fluorine is a very
robust and effective product. He explained that fires at
airports are surface fires, rather than the deep-seated fires
one would find in the oil and gas industry, and that in his
opinion, the fluorine-based products are "over designed" for
airport use. He expressed his understanding that the deeper
penetration of the fluorine-based foam is preferable for the
"plunge" fires in an oil or gas field. He then noted that a
company called LASTFIRE (Large Atmospheric Storage Tank Fires)
is seeing success in the development of fluorine-free products.
In response to Chair Patkotak, he said he would provide contact
information for LASTFIRE to the sponsor's staff.
2:15:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN thanked committee members and noted the
complexity of the issue of PFAS pollution.
2:16:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GILLHAM asked how the PFAS concentration cutoff
of eight parts per trillion was chosen.
MR. CLARK explained that the Michigan Science Advisory Task
Force was assembled in 2018 and went through peer-reviewed
studies on PFAS to arrive at the concentration limit.
2:18:15 PM
CHAIR PATKOTAK asked about the distinction between the Michigan
PFAS Action Response Team and the Michigan Science Advisory Task
Force.
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY interjected that the Michigan PFAS Action
Response Team is referred to as MPART.
MR. CLARK said that MPART and the Michigan Science Advisory Task
Force are both initiatives by the state government.
2:20:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY said that the committee hasn't heard
testimony from DEC or the Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities (DOT&PF), and has heard expert testimony only
from sources in Michigan and Seattle. He said he would like
information from Alaska's state toxicologist, if there is one,
and the state fire marshal.
CHAIR PATKOTAK noted that representatives from the Department of
Health and Social Services (DHSS) and DOT&PF have been in both
hearings.
MR. CLARK said that testimony from experts in state agencies was
heard during the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature and that
there would be opportunity for further testimony.
2:23:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CRONK said that he thinks it would be helpful to
be in contact with DEC.
2:24:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GILLHAM said he would like to find out at the
next scheduled bill hearing about the current concentration of
PFAS in the affected areas within Alaska.
[HB 171 was held over.]
HB 98-FOREST LAND USE PLANS; TIMBER SALES
2:24:24 PM(
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE gave notice of reconsideration on his
vote on CSHB 98(RES).
2:24:44 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Resources Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:25 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 98 HRES Proposed CS 4.28.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 98 |
| HB 98 Summary of Changes Version A to HRES CS 4.28.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 98 |
| HB 171 Michigan Science Advisory Task Force Full Report 4.27.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 Public Testimony Packet 4.26.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 LASTFIRE Research Test Press Release Two 5.4.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 LASTFIRE Research Test Press Release One 5.4.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 Letter Karen Nguyen 5.4.2021.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HB 171 |