HCR 2-IN-STATE GAS PIPELINE HCR 3-IN-STATE GAS PIPELINE HCR 4-IN-STATE GAS PIPELINE HCR 5-IN-STATE GAS PIPELINE 3:03:36 PM CO-CHAIR MILLETT announced that the order of business would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2, Requesting the governor to provide energy security for all Alaskans by pursuing development of a natural gas bullet pipeline from the North Slope to the Cook Inlet region; and requesting the governor to identify and negotiate with one or more persons capable of producing natural gas from the Gubik area, and other areas on the North Slope if necessary, in sufficient quantities to support a bullet pipeline project; HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3, Requesting the governor to provide energy security for all Alaskans by taking and encouraging all action that would support a natural gas bullet pipeline from the North Slope to the Cook Inlet region, including initiating any necessary negotiations to reopen the Agrium plant in Kenai; HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4, Requesting the governor to provide energy security for Alaskans by taking and encouraging all action to support development of a natural gas bullet pipeline from the North Slope to the Cook Inlet region including advocating an increase in the amount of natural gas that may be exported under authority granted by the United States Department of Energy; and HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5, Requesting the governor to provide energy security for all Alaskans by working on significant elements and components to support the timely construction of a natural gas bullet pipeline from the North Slope to the Cook Inlet region and to take necessary action to assist and facilitate the process for a private entity to make a final investment decision to commit to the pipeline before November 1, 2010. 3:03:49 PM CO-CHAIR EDGMON moved to hear as a block HCR 2, HCR 3, HCR 4, and HCR 5, and objected for discussion purposes. [Therefore, the committee heard the resolutions individually.] HCR 5-IN-STATE GAS PIPELINE CO-CHAIR MILLETT announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5, Requesting the governor to provide energy security for all Alaskans by working on significant elements and components to support the timely construction of a natural gas bullet pipeline from the North Slope to the Cook Inlet region and to take necessary action to assist and facilitate the process for a private entity to make a final investment decision to commit to the pipeline before November 1, 2010. 4:03:08 PM CO-CHAIR EDGMON moved to hear HCR 5 and objected for discussion purposes. 4:03:18 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS explained the state's cross purposes regarding the introduction of wood bison, a potentially endangered species, into a region that [the state] is also trying to open up for gas exploration. House Resolution 5 requests, in the interest of providing energy security for all Alaskans, that the government eliminates regulatory hurdles and allows a private entity to make its final investment decision to commit to the pipeline before November 1, 2010. Representative Ramras referred to Mr. McCutcheon's concern about a similar situation, between the governor's office and DNR, regarding drilling in Cook Inlet and Point Thomson. He advised that his community of Fairbanks is "paralyzed by fear" over the possibility of the return of high oil prices and that a bullet line is essential to liberate from fear all of the residents that live along the Railbelt. He concluded that HCR 5 will remove "shackles" and direct the government to be an active participant in removing hurdles to [investment decisions by private entities]. 4:06:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN asked about the proposed release date of the wood bison in the Nenana Basin. 4:07:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS related that the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) issued assurances that there is not a problem. He deferred the question to the appropriate state agency. 4:08:10 PM CO-CHAIR MILLETT opened public testimony on HCR 5. Hearing none, public testimony was closed. 4:08:37 PM CO-CHAIR EDGMON withdrew his objection and moved to report HCR 5 out of committee with individual recommendations and no attached fiscal note. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. 4:09:12 PM CO-CHAIR MILLETT briefly discussed the committee's upcoming meetings. 4:10:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN observed that beginning one year ago, the sponsor of the aforementioned resolutions has been very public in pushing these issues. He said that he was thrilled to hear the governor include these issues in her state-of-the-state address. Representative Johansen expressed his full support of the resolutions. 4:11:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM concurred with Representative Johansen. 4:11:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK agreed that the bullet line will provide opportunities to the state and private industry. These resolutions are needed to ensure that Alaska's deep water port in the Kenai, and new industry, will flourish. 4:12:25 PM