HB 32-APPROP: GRANT TO ARCTIC POWER FOR ANWR CHAIR KOHRING announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 32, "An Act making a special appropriation for a grant to Arctic Power to promote the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration and development; and providing for an effective date." 5:34:52 PM CHAIR KOHRING, speaking as the sponsor, explained that HB 32 appropriates $1.2 million from the general fund (GF) to fund Arctic Power, a private nonprofit organization that advocates for the opening of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) [to oil exploration and development]. He said, "[The appropriation] is to fund [the Arctic Power] budget, or at least a portion of their budget, so that they can advertise and cover related expenses as it relates to advocating for the opening of ANWR and encouraging congressmen to vote in the affirmative on legislation that they'll have before them in [Washington D.C.]." He noted that the bill also includes a $100,000 appropriation to the Native Village of Kaktovik for community outreach in an effort to gain the community's support of the opening of ANWR. CHAIR KOHRING remarked that he views [the proposed appropriation to Arctic Power] as a small amount of money when one considers the potential payoff. He stated that there are estimates of as much as ten billion barrels of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). He opined that, if [the U.S. Congress] is able to get legislation passed and signed into law, the potential return will be phenomenal and well worth the investment of $1,200,000. He remarked that [the legislature] is trying to open the Coastal Plain of ANWR for oil exploration and development, not ANWR as a whole. He said, "In the course of exploring and developing that area, we're expecting that there will likely be some additional unforeseen discoveries that could be added to the potential that is estimated up there that could further reduce our country's need for imported oil and help with our trade deficit and perhaps even improve our national security." CHAIR KOHRING noted that Arctic Power has been in existence for 12 years and it received a $1.8 million appropriation from the legislature two years ago. He said, "We really feel that the timing is critical on this, too. We have a very opportune situation here where ... Congress is very amenable to opening ANWR.... We've got a substantial number of prodevelopment people who believe in enhancing our oil and gas industry, and that like to support ANWR. So the time is right to really push this issue now. And then of course President [George W. Bush] is very supportive as well and he's pledged to sign legislation if it were to be produced from Congress." 5:37:58 PM KEVIN HAND, Executive Director, Arctic Power, said that Arctic Power is a "nonprofit, grassroots organization of citizens and businesses from across Alaska and across the nation advocating for responsible exploration and development of the region which contains [the Coastal Plain] of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." He noted that Arctic Power has active education and advocacy programs that are currently underway in Washington D.C. The programs provide information such as caribou numbers, and statistics on the nation's dependence on foreign oil to the Alaska delegation and other members of Congress. Arctic Power facilitates congressional tours to ANWR, and sends delegations of Alaskans to Washington D.C. MR. HAND remarked: There is no one else out there focused on advocating on behalf of Alaska for ANWR, besides ... of course our congressional delegation. We know that we ... could not list on one piece of paper all the groups out there that are opposing us in this endeavor.... We are outspent many times over by the environmental organizations; it's an impossibility, unfortunately, to match their resources." MR. HAND noted that [the U.S. House Committee on Resources] put out a press release today with new poll results showing that a majority of Americans support responsible development ANWR. He said, "The amount of support with Americans is ... up considerably when they are given a 'common sense' approach to responsible development of ANWR." He said that the poll was facilitated and paid for by Arctic Power. 5:45:32 PM MR. HAND said that Arctic Power has a database that contains a record of every meeting that has ever taken place between an Alaskan and a member of Congress regarding the issue of ANWR. He also said that Arctic Power assembles advocacy pieces with state-by-state statistics including information on predicted revenue and jobs generated. He described several coalitions and alliances that Arctic Power has built in Congress and with other grassroots organizations. He outlined other work performed by Arctic Power that "sort of [goes] unnoticed, ... under the radar," including providing talking points and advocacy materials to legislators. MR. HAND remarked: We're going to face considerable challenges this year. The green community is not going to go away without a fight. I understand that ... they're going to come out with a new caribou study to combat and ... inflame the environmental argument in that regard.... And these attacks are only going to increase as we come to fruition here, come to a vote on the floor of the House and the Senate. Arctic Power is ready; we just require the resources to accomplish all that we are asked to do by the delegation.... Private fundraising has been undertaken in earnest. ... We definitely believe ... that the benefits to Alaska far outweigh any costs. 5:52:04 PM REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS moved to report HB 32 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection, HB 32 was reported from the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas.