ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE  April 17, 2009 8:31 a.m.   MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Craig Johnson, Co-Chair Representative Mark Neuman, Co-Chair Representative Bryce Edgmon Representative Kurt Olson Representative Paul Seaton Representative Peggy Wilson Representative David Guttenberg Representative Scott Kawasaki Representative Chris Tuck MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 33 Urging immediate action by the governor, the Alaska Congressional delegation, and state and federal agencies to assist in the restart of oil production in Cook Inlet that was affected by the eruption of Mt. Redoubt. - MOVED CSHJR 33(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3 Relating to carrying firearms in national parks. - MOVED SJR 3 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 32 Opposing litigation that seeks to eliminate the Kenai, Kasilof, and Chitina sockeye salmon personal use dip net fisheries; and requesting the governor to re-examine the disproportional influence of the commercial fisheries industries on fisheries management in the state. - BILL HEARING CANCELED CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22(RES) Opposing litigation that seeks to eliminate the Kenai, Kasilof, and Chitina sockeye salmon personal use dip net fisheries. - BILL HEARING CANCELED CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 177(FIN) "An Act relating to an exception for professional fishing guide services in the Kenai River Special Management Area; relating to the licensing and regulation of sport fishing operators and sport fishing guides and licensing and registration of sport fishing vessels; and providing for an effective date." - BILL HEARING CANCELED PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HJR 33 SHORT TITLE: RESTART COOK INLET PRODUCTION SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) OLSON 04/13/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/13/09 (H) RES 04/13/09 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124 04/13/09 (H) Heard & Held 04/13/09 (H) MINUTE(RES) 04/17/09 (H) RES AT 8:30 AM BARNES 124 BILL: SJR 3 SHORT TITLE: FIREARMS IN NATIONAL PARK SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) THERRIAULT 01/26/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/26/09 (S) JUD 02/09/09 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211 02/09/09 (S) Heard & Held 02/09/09 (S) MINUTE(JUD) 02/11/09 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211 02/11/09 (S) Moved SJR 3 Out of Committee 02/11/09 (S) MINUTE(JUD) 02/13/09 (S) JUD RPT 2DP 1NR 02/13/09 (S) DP: FRENCH, THERRIAULT 02/13/09 (S) NR: ELTON 03/25/09 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 03/25/09 (S) VERSION: SJR 3 03/27/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/27/09 (H) RES 04/17/09 (H) RES AT 8:30 AM BARNES 124 WITNESS REGISTER JENNIFER SENETTE, Staff Representative Kurt Olson Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed the proposed committee substitute for HJR 33 on behalf of Representative Olson, sponsor. DAVE STANCLIFF, Staff Senator Gene Therriault Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sponsor statement for SJR 3 on behalf of Senator Therriault, sponsor. ACTION NARRATIVE 8:31:10 AM   CO-CHAIR MARK NEUMAN called the House Resources Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. Representatives Neuman, Johnson, Wilson, Olson, Edgmon, and Seaton were present at the call to order. Representatives Tuck, Guttenberg, and Kawasaki arrived as the meeting was in progress. HJR 33-RESTART COOK INLET PRODUCTION   8:31:24 AM CO-CHAIR NEUMAN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 33, Urging immediate action by the governor, the Alaska Congressional delegation, and state and federal agencies to assist in the restart of oil production in Cook Inlet that was affected by the eruption of Mt. Redoubt. REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HJR 33, Version 26-LS0896\S, Bullock, 4/14/09, as the work draft. There being no objection, Version S was before the committee. 8:32:22 AM JENNIFER SENETTE, Staff, Representative Kurt Olson, Alaska State Legislature, noted that the two changes made by Version S are the result of committee discussion on [April 13, 2009]. She said the first change is on page 1, line 6, where the date of increased volcanic activity at Mt. Redoubt is changed from March 22, 2009, to September 2008; a correction that reflects the information provided by Mr. Kevin Banks [Director, Division of Oil & Gas, Department of Natural Resources]. She stated that the second change is on page 2, lines 19-20, where the phrase "in a safe and responsible manner" was added after "Redoubt". This change is in response to Representative Seaton's concern that an impression not be made that people are being urged to put themselves in harm's way in an effort to get production back up and running. MS. SENETTE summarized the resolution as saying to all the appropriate parties to do everything that can be done to get the production back up and running. It is not telling producers what to do. For example, if the only thing that can be done in a safe and responsible manner is plan, then by all means they should start planning. 8:34:07 AM CO-CHAIR NEUMAN noted that public comment had been closed [on April 13, 2009]. REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON moved to report HJR 33, Version 26- LS0896\S, Bullock, 4/14/09, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHJR 33(RES) was reported from the House Resources Standing Committee.   SJR 3-FIREARMS IN NATIONAL PARK   8:34:44 AM CO-CHAIR NEUMAN announced that the next order of business would be SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3, Relating to carrying firearms in national parks. DAVE STANCLIFF, Staff, Senator Gene Therriault, Alaska State Legislature, pointed out that SJR 3 had unanimous support in the other body. He said the purpose of the resolution is to bring the National Park Service into conformity with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These agencies have policies that say whenever a state has a law that allows the carrying of concealed weapons, then a concealed weapon can also be carried on Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Wildlife Service lands. The policy was put into place nationally by the Bush Administration. He noted that Alaska has 75 percent of the nation's national park system and that the national parks in Alaska are somewhat unique with regard to the need for personal protection. The resolution goes further by encouraging the Obama Administration to allow open carry as well as concealed carry. He added that HJR 33 is timely because forces are trying to reverse the policy with a lawsuit that was filed on December 31, [2008]. 8:37:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE WILSON, in reference to page 1, line 8, said she is unsure that there has ever been a case of rabies in Alaska. CO-CHAIR JOHNSON responded that a rabid wolf pack in northern Alaska attacked a team of dogs. In further response, he said rabies is rare, but it does happen. REPRESENTATIVE OLSON noted that there has never been a rabid bat in Alaska. CO-CHAIR NEUMAN closed public testimony after ascertaining that no one wished to testify. 8:40:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he understands the concealed weapon issue, but asked whether discussions have occurred in regard to carrying a hunting weapon in national parks where hunting is prohibited and the possibility that the resolution could add fuel to the fire of whether the [National Park Service] can regulate hunting. MR. STANCLIFF replied that this has not come up as any type of conflict between the resolution's policy and the current policy that allows rural residents who are qualified under subsistence provisions to hunt in national parks. There are some allowances in park preserves that make Alaska's national parks unique, he said, but there have been no suggestions or any testimony in opposition to SJR 3 that it would set up any type of conflicts. CO-CHAIR JOHNSON moved to report SJR 3 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, SJR 3 was reported from the House Resources Standing Committee. 8:40:50 AM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Resources Standing Committee was recessed at 8:42 AM to a call of the chair. [The meeting was never reconvened.]