HB 349-RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT LEASES  10:56:54 AM CHAIR RAUSCHER announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 349 "An Act relating to leases of public land for renewable energy projects; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR RAUSCHER opened public testimony on HB 349. After ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, he closed public testimony. 10:58:03 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX gave his understanding that the lease as defined in HB 349 must provide for recreational activities. 10:58:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE CLIFF GROH, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, directed the question to Cameron Ebersold. 10:58:30 AM CAMERON EBERSOLD, Staff, Representative Cliff Groh, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Groh, prime sponsor, answered committee questions on HB 349. He said that Representative Prax' observation is correct that HB 349 would preserve access for other kinds of public uses. REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether the threat of vandalism to the renewable energy infrastructure had been taken to account when funding a project. 10:59:30 AM MR. EBERSOLD asked for clarification because HB 349 relates to licensing of the state land, determining the feasibility of a project, and establishing lease terms. REPRESENTATIVE PRAX cited a windmill project in Fairbanks, Alaska, that he believed was under threat from vandalism and asked how HB 349 would protect the renewable energy projects from vandalism. 11:00:52 AM REPRESENTATIVE GROH answered that he has never worked with a lease contract for renewable energy, but he thinks the individual contracts to develop the project would address the threat of vandalism, not the bill. REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked for confirmation that the protection would be addressed in the lease. REPRESENTATIVE GROH said he thinks so but directed the question to Mr. Ebersold for additional clarification. MR. EBERSOLD cited an experience from his childhood, highlighting that there is nothing that would stop someone from shooting or damaging the turbine. He said it would be up to the company to protect its property, not the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 11:03:03 AM REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE commented that the wind turbines on Kodiak are fenced off from access and added that Alaskans would rather shoot road signs versus energy infrastructure. 11:04:10 AM CHAIR RAUSCHER said people shoot the pipeline, so people can shoot a wind turbine. He said people are going to do what they're going to do. 11:05:18 AM CHAIR RAUSCHER announced that HB 349 was held over.