HR 12-HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE  3:21:00 PM CO-CHAIR LINCOLN announced the final order of business would be HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 12, Establishing a House Special Committee on Climate Change. 3:21:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE ANDY JOSEPHSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HR 12, informed the committee many Alaskans have spoken out on the importance of addressing climate change; he recalled an event in Anchorage where two hundred people urged members of the legislature to advance HR 12. Representative Josephson said the effects of climate change on Alaska are widespread, although the state population is very small and Alaska's carbon emissions are low; however, due to Arctic amplification, northern latitudes are affected more severely than elsewhere. He referred to extreme weather events and other challenges in Alaska such as coastal erosion, drought, and fire. Conversely, there are opportunities created by change, such as new shipping corridors through the Arctic Ocean for cargo and tourism that will result in increased shipping traffic along Alaska's coastline, and additional revenue from Alaska's crude oil. The proposed resolution would create a special committee on climate change and policy which would hold hearings on referred legislation, engage with subject matter experts, provide a forum for education and action, and propose legislation. Further, the committee would be directed by public interest. 3:26:05 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON advised climate change and policy are topics that generate a lot of research materials for review, and numerous media reports of climate-related events, and he said the special committee could make reports and review research, but maintain a focus on recommending constructive legislative action. Also, he noted entities of the federal government are currently "non-participatory," and the state government has disbanded its Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team; even though there is a long history of interest in this issue, the legislature's current efforts in this regard are incomplete, which could be corrected by a special committee. 3:28:49 PM NATHANIEL GRABMAN, Staff, Representative Andy Josephson, Alaska State Legislature, provided a PowerPoint presentation entitled, "HR 12, Establishing a House Special Committee on Climate Change." Mr. Grabman paraphrased from slide 2, which read [original punctuation provided, with some formatting changed]: Climate change and Alaska • Temperatures in Alaska have trended upward for decades, and 2019 was the hottest year in state history • Drought conditions have become more common and more severe • Higher temperatures with less precipitation lead to greater fire danger • When possible, the natural ranges for plants and animals change as flora and fauna attempt to adapt to changing conditions. When this is not possible, massive die offs may occur • Sea ice naturally acts as a buffer for high seas and storms; reduced sea ice accelerates coastal erosion • Much of northern Alaska is underlain by permafrost; as temperatures rise, permafrost thaws, causing structural foundations to weaken • Reduced sea ice opens new pathways for ships • Alaskans are world leaders in Arctic research and innovation MR. GRABMAN referenced a 2007 report published by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Alaska Anchorage, which predicted billions of dollars in future costs related to the effect of climate change on Alaska's public infrastructure [slide 3]. Slide 4 illustrated Arctic shipping routes in 2018; slide 5 listed reports of fires in Alaska. He noted acreage burned during the 2019 fire season was not the greatest, but smoke and fires affected many Alaskans due to the location of fires; the cost of firefighting was over $300 million [shared between the state and FEMA]. Mr. Grabman said erosion, permafrost thaw, and relocation are interconnected, and recalled the climate change [subcabinet] formed by former governor Sarah Palin identified six communities in need of immediate action, as depicted on slide 6. Also shown on slide 6 was a map of near-surface permafrost sited along the Trans- Alaska Pipeline System. He pointed out many communities in Alaska are not located near large-scale power grids and thus utilize microgrids to provide power and integrate renewable energy sources into remote diesel grids; in fact, Kodiak is almost 100 percent renewable, powered by wind, and Igiugig has installed a river turbine which will provide approximately 50 percent of its energy [slide 7]. 3:33:27 PM MR. GRABMAN continued to slide 8 which described the Renewable Energy Grant Fund program that has developed many different renewable energy sources while utilizing leveraged funds; he estimated the program has saved approximately $50 million in fuel costs annually. He then paraphrased from slides 9 and 10 which read as follows [original punctuation provided, with some formatting changes]: Previous Legislative Efforts 1990 HCR 56: Relating to climate change. • Resolved to ask the governor to investigate state policies and procedures to determine best practices to combat climate change. Failed on House floor 17-10 • 1995 HJR 39: Relating to the Northern Sea Route. Resolved to push for research and planning to examine shipping routes in the Arctic. Passed House 35-0, Passed Senate 19-0 • 1999 HJR 33: Urging the US Senate to decline to ratify the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in December 1997 at Kyoto, Japan. Passed House 29-7, died in Senate committee • 2006 HCR 30: Creating an Alaska Climate Impact Assessment Commission. Created commission tasked with studying and evaluating impacts of climate change around the state, suggesting policies, examine alternative measures, etc. Passed House 28-0, Passed Senate 17-0. Final commission report produced March 17, 2008 • 2015 HB 1: Declaring the Arctic policy of the state. Outlines policies of the state with respect to the Arctic, stating that is the policy of the state to 'sustain current, and develop new, approaches for responding to a changing climate, and adapt to the challenges of coastal erosion, permafrost melt, and ocean acidification.' Passed the House 32-2, Passed the Senate 19-1 • 2016 HB 233: Establishing the Climate Change Commission and 2017 HB 173: Establishing the Alaska Climate Change Response Commission. Would have created commission to advise the governor, consult with experts, liaise with non-State entities, recommend actions, provide annual report. Died in committee Previous Administrative Efforts • 2007 Administrative Order 238: Governor Palin "establish[ed] a Climate Change Sub-cabinet to advise the Office of the Governor on the preparation and implementation of an Alaska climate change strategy." Sub-cabinet was dissolved by Gov. Parnell, and AO 238 was rescinded and replaced by Gov. Walker's AO-289. • 2017 Administrative Order 289: Governor Walker created a 20-person Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team and an Alaska Climate Change Strategy to advise on 'critical and timely actions to address climate change challenges that will safeguard Alaska now and for future generations.' AO 289 Rescinded by Gov. Dunleavy in 2019. 3:36:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON turned attention to the vision for the committee and explained that by creating a special committee, the House, with a simple majority vote, can independently set a path to: capture the imagination of the public; reflect the public's support; create a direct and open forum for the legislature; create recommendations for legislative action; create public engagement; establish groundwork for the next legislature; and avoid difficult political questions that would prevent the creation of the committee. The committee would engage in factfinding and "would not reinvent the wheel." It would be dedicated to one purpose. He noted that the committee would be recreated every two years. 3:38:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN observed the legislature does not often adjourn within its allotted 90-120 days; she pointed out the House Special Committee on Arctic Policy, Economic Development, and Tourism, and other committees, are in place to hold hearings and take legislative action on climate change if needed. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON suggested the House Special Committee on Climate Change would meet monthly during session; he said the committee staff's time may be extensive, and noted legislators have some time available during interim. Although HAET could [address climate change in the Arctic], many facets of climate change do not occur in the Arctic, such as fires in the Tongass National Forest; further, other committees do not have a dedicated focus on the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. He referred to previous [failed] legislation to create a state climate change commission and stated the current administration has no interest in this issue. Representative Josephson expressed his personal foreboding about the summer of 2020. REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN questioned how an [Alaska state government] policy to fight climate change could affect areas of the world outside of Alaska. She then asked whether the proposed committee would require a budget for staff. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON, in response to staffing, said no. In 2021, he acknowledged the committee may require a small budget for travel to rural Alaska. In response to Representative Rasmussen's first question, he gave the example of the U.S. states and [two territories] that have joined the U.S. Climate Alliance to oppose U.S. withdrawal from the [2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation], and observed the committee may explore this action. Finally, he characterized the issue as "a moral responsibility." 3:44:39 PM CO-CHAIR TARR recalled the House Resources Standing Committee experienced difficulty scheduling the presentation on climate change; she suggested members of a dedicated special committee would be more focused on this topic. REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN inquired as to why the sponsor prefers a special committee to forming a climate change caucus. CO-CHAIR TARR advised a caucus cannot hear bills. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON added that bills can be referred to a special committee; further, the deliberative committee process provides a certain structure for members. 3:47:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ told of her personal experience related to the heat and smoke suffered by Alaskans [in Summer 2019], and of the health issues related to climate change. She asked whether the sponsor considered creating a taskforce. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said he did not; he opined people envision a taskforce as temporary and ephemeral. REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ directed attention to the bill on page 3, lines 2 and 3, which read [in part]: to explore policy options relating to climate change effects, mitigation, resilience, and adaptation in the state REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ pointed out Alaska also has an economic opportunity in relation to climate change. She said there has been entrepreneurism in the last few years that has capitalized on Alaska's need to adapt. As an example, she mentioned BP's set up of the solar array in Willow, Alaska. REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO questioned whether appointments to a special committee are required to follow the legislature's uniform rules of procedure. [REPRESENTATIVE TUCK] said yes. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON, in further response to Representative Talerico, said he had no opinion as to the number of members appointed to the proposed committee. REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked whether there are any funds remaining in the Renewable Energy Grant Fund [described on slide 8]. 3:52:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON advised members of the [former] Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team (CAALT) have inquired [about the status of the fund] of the fund's manager, the Alaska Energy Authority, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development; he opined the fund needs to be recapitalized. Representative Josephson closed by reading a statement from a CAALT document [document not provided]. [HR 12 was held over.]