Legislature(2001 - 2002)
03/06/2002 03:37 PM Senate RES
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
March 6, 2002
3:37 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator John Torgerson, Chair
Senator Gary Wilken, Vice Chair
Senator Robin Taylor
Senator Ben Stevens
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Georgianna Lincoln
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Rick Halford
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 279
"An Act authorizing the commissioner of fish and game to issue
complimentary sport fishing licenses and tags to September 11
emergency responders and their spouses; and providing for an
effective date."
MOVED CSSB 279(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 263(RES)
"An Act relating to water quality standards applicable to flow-
through hot springs."
MOVED CSHB 263(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 329
"An Act authorizing community development quota groups to hold
commercial fishing permits."
SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 279 - No previous action to record.
HB 263 - No previous action to record.
SB 329 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Mr. Yuri Morgan
Staff to Senator Wilken
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau AK 99811
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 279 for sponsor.
Mr. Jim Low
142 Frog Pond Circle
Fairbanks AK 99712
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 279.
Ms. Mary Siroky, Legislative Liaison
Department of Environmental Conservation
410 Willoughby, Ste 303
Juneau AK 99801-1795
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported on SB 279.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 02-9, SIDE A
Number 001
SB 279-SPORT FISH LICENSES FOR 9/11 RESPONDERS
CHAIRMAN JOHN TORGERSON called the Senate Resources Committee
meeting to order at 3:37 p.m. and announced SB 279 to be up for
consideration.
SENATOR WILKEN, sponsor of SB 279, said his staff, Yuri Morgan,
would help him answer questions.
SENATOR WILKEN said he was approached by Jim Low from Fairbanks,
a former brown shirt with the Troopers who recently retired. He
has a stellar reputation around Fairbanks and proposed this bill
to him, which allows complimentary fishing licenses to the
responders in New York and Washington D.C. on 9/11. He said
that's what this bill does and the offer expires on December 31,
2003. He noted, "This bill is a gesture in kind. It's a small
gift and will allow Alaska to honor and recognize those brave men
and women who served in such admirable fashion."
Other states have shown their appreciation. The State of Iowa
sent 1,500 quilts to the responders and three fire trucks; Texas
sent 26,000 grapefruits; the town of Naples, Italy, sent a one-
ton nativity scene; the State of Hawaii has offered free
vacations for the police, fire fighters and relatives of rescue
workers that perished in the attack; California sent a Manhattan-
shaped Bonsai Tree; and the people of North Dakota sent 229,300
servings of macaroni. Japan sent 1,000 origami paper cranes as an
indication of peace and good will.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON asked how they were going to know if these
people were actual responders.
MR. YURI MORGAN, staff to Senator Wilken, replied that the
department would issue a letter to the commissioners of the three
departments - fire, police and EMT - in both cities, along with a
form drafted by [ADF&G] that would require a signature by one of
the commissioners or one of the people verifying that these
people acted on that day.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON asked if the people had to be residents of New
York.
MR. MORGAN replied yes, New York City and Washington D.C. on that
day - September 11.
SENATOR LINCOLN said she had similar questions and added that she
didn't care if they responded on September 11 or to say that they
were just a provider at the site of the World Trade Center or the
Pentagon. She would prefer to extend this gesture to anyone who
responded, including and especially the folks that volunteered
from Alaska. She questioned what "for use in any one season"
meant and whether a license could be used in 2007.
MR. MORGAN replied that the intent is to have the licenses
validated on or before December 31, 2003.
SENATOR LINCOLN asked what the statement on page 1, line 12
meant, "for use in any one season in their visit to the state."
MR. MORGAN replied, "Between now and then. So this season and
next year's season."
SENATOR LINCOLN encouraged them to expand the gesture to include
the people who worked at the site without giving a specific date
so that it be available to all who worked there.
SENATOR WILKEN replied that they struggled a bit with not knowing
how big a response this would have and agreed to a 250 cap. He
suspected that the filter wouldn't be too stringent for anyone
who applies. They figure 250 is two and a half times the number
of people they expect to take advantage of it. He doubted [ADF&G]
would split hairs about the people who responded if they are
qualified through the commissioner system in New York and
Washington D.C.
SENATOR LINCOLN said she would like those who responded from
Alaska to be able to participate in this effort.
SENATOR WILKEN replied that that gesture is noble, but he is
concerned about how to identify those people. He would see if
there is a way to contact those folks. He said if there were 50
to 100 Alaskans, they might come up against the cap quicker than
they care to.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON asked him to look at that possibility before
the bill gets to Finance. Senator Wilken indicated he would. He
agreed with Senator Lincoln as long as they keep the 250-cap.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked if they have to be residents of New York or
Washington D.C. and said his concern is that he didn't see that
language in the bill. He thought that a lot of the responders who
worked in New York lived across the river in New Jersey or in the
bedroom communities of Washington D.C. in Virginia and Maryland.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON added that they might even find some military
people at the Pentagon who could be residents of anywhere.
SENATOR WILKEN said they didn't want this to be a big
administrative burden and directed the committee to page 2, lines
2 and 3 "The commissioner shall". [ADF&G] has asked him to amend
the bill to allow them to do this administratively so they don't
have to go through the process of promulgating regulations. He
would bring the bill back with that change.
MR. JIM LOW, Fairbanks resident, supported SB 279.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON thanked him.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved on page 1, line 2 to delete beginning with
"The Commissioner" through to the end of the period on line 4.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON said he didn't think that would cover it,
because the last time he went through this they had to actually
give the commissioner the power not to adopt the regulations. He
noted, "We actually had to say it." He asked Senator Wilken to
check on that.
There were no further objections and amendment 1 was adopted.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved to pass CSSB 279(RES) from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was
so ordered.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON announced that SB 329 would not be heard
today.
HB 263-REGULATION OF HOT SPRINGS WATER
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON announced HB 263 to be up for consideration.
REPRESENTATIVE FATE, sponsor of HB 263, said that DEC supported
this bill, which makes sure that a flow-through hot springs body
of water complies with the state standards for pollutants,
chemicals, or pathogens. As long as those standards are met, the
introduction of a chemical such as chlorine, which would detract
from the natural mineral content or the aesthetic experience or
the perceived medicinal experience of the hot spring, would not
be altered. He noted that hot springs contribute to the economy
of rural Alaska where they are located. The testing of the waters
will occur as frequently as DEC deems necessary.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked why DEC couldn't just do this through
regulation.
REPRESENTATIVE FATE replied that they literally felt it was
incumbent upon them to treat these bodies of water as pools. The
problem they had was considering the hot springs where people
went to bathe as pools. That connotes a swimming pool. Changing
"pool" to "body of water" got away from that swimming pool
connotation.
SENATOR WILKEN asked him to expand on "further water quality
regulation" on line 6. He asked if "further" referred to
chlorination.
REPRESENTATIVE FATE said it does under AS 44.46. - chlorine or
any other chemical that DEC deems appropriate to make those
pathogen levels safe for humans to enter.
SENATOR LINCOLN asked if DEC supports this bill.
REPRESENTATIVE FATE said it does.
MS. MARY SIROKY, legislative liaison, DEC, said that the
department worked with Representative Fate and resolved all their
concerns.
SENATOR ELTON asked if DEC would still maintain the fecal
coliform checks in these bodies of water.
MS. SIROKY said it would.
SENATOR TAYLOR said they wouldn't get to further water quality
regulation until a triggering event occurs, which is the
discovery of more than 100 colonies or less per 100 millimeters
of water in the pool.
MS. SIROKY said that was correct with the caveat at the second
part of the sentence, which is, "free from dangerous levels of
disease causing pathogens or chemicals." What they are talking
about with "further water quality regulation" are things like
total dissolved solids.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved to pass CSHB 263(RES) from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was
so ordered.
CHAIRMAN TORGERSON adjourned the meeting at 4:00 p.m.
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