CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 13(HES) Relating to using oil spill settlement funds to create a long-term research and monitoring endowment. WILDA RODMAN, staff to Representative Gene Therriault, testified to the bill. She read the sponsor statement into the record. HJR 13 supported the recent action of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council to create a long-term research and monitoring endowment using $115 million of expected reserve. The bill also would encourage the Trustee Council to endow chairs in the sciences at the University of Alaska and supports Trustee efforts work with the congressional delegation to obtain the necessary investment authority to increase the earnings on remaining settlement funds. The EVOS Trustee Council allocated money obtained from settlement of the Exxon Valdez spill litigation. Over the years, EVOS funds had largely been used to purchase land for habitat preservation, and have been lacking in the area of research. The sponsor believed this had left a critical gap in our understanding of this spill and how to respond in the future. Endowing scientific chairs at the University would help increase available baseline data, enhance the biological resources of the northern Gulf of Alaska, and significantly improve spill-related technology, restoration methods and ecosystem preservation. For example, it was widely understood that many aspects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill response, such as high-pressure washing of beaches and rock washing, might have caused more long-term harm than benefit. We also need to know if types of marine ecosystems were extra sensitive to certain cleanup activities, and if so, how the state should respond to a spill in those areas. An endowment of this nature would fulfill the intent of the Exxon Valdez oil settlement and the mission of the Trustee Council, which was to restore, rehabilitate, replace, enhance, or acquire equivalent resources and services in the oil spill region. MOLLY MCCAMMON, Executive Director, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, testified via teleconference from Anchorage. The council supported the House Finance committee substitute to the resolution. She explained that the Trustee Council had recently voted to establish a long- term research and monitoring endowment. They were now in the process of developing a long-term research and monitoring plan for the northern Gulf of Alaska. As part of development of that plan, EVOS would be considering endowing certain scientific chairs at the University. To this date, the council had not taken action on endowing university chairs. The first priority was to develop the long-term research plan, then determine how any endowed chairs might fit into that research plan. Senator Al Adams asked if there were plans or programs where the money would be spent. Molly McCammon replied they were in the process of developing those programs. She listed some of the areas of planned research. The council wanted to monitor key aspects of the spill area such as oceanographic temperature, currents and those forces that affected the productivity of the marine resources. There would also be monitoring of key species: harbor seals, salmon, herring and those fish that were part of the ecosystem. They would also target questions that resources managers needed answered in order to better manage the resources. They would also tie in traditional ecosystem knowledge and work with stakeholder and local residents so they were part of the overall program. WENDY REDMOND, Vice President, University Relations, University of Alaska testified. The university supported the bill. "It would serve a great need and a great opportunity for leveraging some of the investment into the future." Senator Gary Wilken offered a motion to report HJR 13 (FIN) out of committee. There was no objection and it was so ordered. ADJOURNED Senator Torgerson adjourned the meeting at 10:43AM. SFC-99 (19) 4/27/99