HB 172    An Act relating  to the wildlife conservation  tag                 
            and  to  entry  onto   state  game  and   wildlife                 
            sanctuaries,  state  game  refuges,   state  range                 
            areas, and  fish and game critical  habitat areas;                 
            and providing for an effective date.                               
                                                                               
            HB   172  was   held  in  Committee   for  further                 
            discussion.                                                        
  HOUSE BILL 172                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act relating  to the wildlife conservation  tag and                 
       to  entry onto  state  game  and wildlife  sanctuaries,                 
       state game  refuges, state  range areas,  and fish  and                 
       game  critical  habitat  areas;  and providing  for  an                 
       effective date."                                                        
                                                                               
  LAURA FLEMING, AID FOR  REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS, stated                 
  that HB 172 would create a wildlife conservation tag program                 
  aimed  at  encouraging  non-consumptive  users  of  Alaska's                 
  wildlife to help  pay for  wildlife programs and  facilities                 
  they use.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Wildlife viewing is a fast-growing form of recreation in the                 
  world, and a major factor in attracting visitors  to Alaska.                 
  Careful  management  and  development  of  viewing  areas is                 
  important to  protect the  wildlife while  enhancing visitor                 
  opportunities.    The bill  is  a  "user pays"  approach  to                 
  generating funds to  support this  growing area of  wildlife                 
  use.                                                                         
                                                                               
  The  primary  thrust  of  HB 172  is  a  voluntary  program.                 
  Participants would pay  a fairly  small price  for the  tag.                 
  The price of the tag is  left to the Department but will  be                 
  kept low since the goal is to sell large numbers of the tags                 
  to those who voluntarily purchase them.                                      
                                                                               
  Ms.   Fleming   explained   the  amendments   submitted   by                 
  Representative  Williams   which  will   make  three   small                 
  technical changes to CS HB 172 (RES) version.                                
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean presented her concerns with the legislation                 
  and  the limitations created in the  McNeil River area which                 
  she  felt  would  restrict  individual  freedom  to  explore                 
  certain parts of that area.                                                  
                                                                               
  GERON BRUCE, SPECIAL ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME,                 
  noted the legislation  would not restrict people  from going                 
  into  areas to  pursue exempted  activities.  He  added that                 
  McNeil  is a  small area  sanctuary which  is exclusively  a                 
  brown bear viewing  area.  This area  can be used  by permit                 
  only and  is already existing in  law.  The function  of the                 
  permit system  is to  protect the intrinsic  quality of  the                 
  environment for the animals of those areas and for those who                 
  come to view the animals.                                                    
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  MacLean  voiced  her  concern with  the  potential                 
  expansion  of  areas  added to  the  conservation  tag entry                 
  system.   Mr.  Bruce  advised that  the  Department will  be                 
  working closely with  tourism, the visitor industry  and the                 
                                                                               
                                5                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  public.                                                                      
                                                                               
  KATE  TESAR,  ASSOCIATION  OF  INDEPENDENT  TOUR  OPERATORS,                 
  JUNEAU,  ALASKA,  noted  support of  the  legislation.   She                 
  stated that her group has been  assured by the Department of                 
  Fish and Game that the tourism  industry will be included in                 
  changes  in  the  current regulations.    There  will be  no                 
  arbitrary designation of tagged  areas without good  reason.                 
  She spoke of  the profit which  could be generated from  the                 
  pins.                                                                        
                                                                               
  IRENE  MORRIS,  ALASKA  ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBY  (AEL),  JUNEAU,                 
  ALASKA, spoke in  support of HB  172.  She recommended  that                 
  non consumptive  users pay a portion of the management costs                 
  for specified areas.                                                         
                                                                               
  Representative Foster interjected his many concerns with the                 
  proposed legislation.   He felt HB 172 would  be detrimental                 
  to Western  and Arctic  Alaska.   Mr. Bruce  noted that  the                 
  Department would  be willing  to  substitute language  which                 
  would help clarify the legislation.  The  legislation is not                 
  directed  at  establishing additional  fees  for subsistence                 
  users, but rather allowing users  to contribute to programs.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Hanley  recommended limiting  the law  to the                 
  two  designated areas.  If additional areas should be added,                 
  then  the  Legislature  would  determine  if they  would  be                 
  advantageous.                                                                
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson  advised  that the  legislation  should  be                 
  returned to  Subcommittee for further  considerations.   The                 
  bill was HELD in Committee.