SB 159-SUSITNA STATE FOREST                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:32:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 159 to be up for consideration.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  PASKVAN  moved  to  adopt  CSSB  159(  ),  labeled  27-                                                               
LS1179\D, for purposes of discussion.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WAGONER objected for discussion purposes.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  LINDA MENARD,  Alaska State  Legislature, sponsor  of SB                                                               
159, said  the committee  substitute (CS)  makes two  changes: it                                                               
exempts private  inholdings that  lie within the  proposed forest                                                               
boundaries, therefore  excluding them from being  included in the                                                               
forest.  Secondly,  the  CS adds  intent  language  that  Senator                                                               
Stedman wanted.  She said the  exclusions and all the  legal land                                                               
descriptions in  the CS had  been double-checked by  the Division                                                               
of Forestry and the Division of  Land, Mining and Water, and both                                                               
have approved.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WAGONER  noted  Senator  Giessel,  Senator  Thomas  and                                                               
Representative Millett in the audience.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH asked if section 2 on page 31 was new.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:35:17 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MENARD  answered  yes;  it  was  the  amendment  Senator                                                               
Stedman requested.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:35:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL  ROVITO,  staff to  Senator  Linda  Menard, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  explained that  Senator Stedman  wanted the  intent                                                               
language  in SB  159  urging  the Governor  to  put  more of  the                                                               
Tongass State Forest into state ownership.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH  said that  lines 24  and 25  ask the  governor to                                                               
work to  amend the Alaska  Statehood Act,  and asked if  that had                                                               
ever been done.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. ROVITO said  he couldn't answer that and would  have to check                                                               
it out.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WAGONER remarked  that  the federal  government can  do                                                               
anything it  wants to the  Alaska Statehood Act and  why couldn't                                                               
the state do it, too.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MENARD  reminded  them  that last  week  they  met  with                                                               
Representative  Don Young  who also  spoke about  his frustration                                                               
with Tongass lands.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WAGONER found  no further  questions  and withdrew  his                                                               
objection.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to report  CSSB 159(RES) from committee to                                                               
the next  committee of  referral with  individual recommendations                                                               
and attached fiscal note. There were  no objections and it was so                                                               
ordered.