SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 83(STA) "An Act relating to the Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission; and providing for an effective date." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. 9:41:08 AM SUZANNE HANCOCK, Staff to Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, the bill's sponsor, stated the bill would extend the termination date of the Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission, which is under the auspices of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), until June 30, 2012 and increase the Commission's membership from nine to eleven. The increase in membership would provide more local government representation. The Governor appoints members of the Commission for three-year terms. Ms. Hancock noted "the scientific community and the insurance industry" support the legislation. REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE LEDOUX supported Ms. Hancock's remarks. Amendment #1: This amendment deletes the entirety of language in Sec. 3(4), page 2, lines 8 through 11 and replaces it with the following. (4) "seismic hazard" means an earthquake-induced geologic condition that is a potential danger to life and property; in this paragraph, "geologic condition" includes strong ground shaking, landslide, avalanche, liquefaction, tsunami inundation, fault displacement, and subsidence; Co-Chair Wilken moved to adopt Amendment #1. Co-Chair Green objected for explanation. Co-Chair Wilken explained that the Senate State Affairs Committee added "definitional language" to the bill. DNR deemed that language "too broad" in its scope, and requested the original bill language be reinstated. Thus, this amendment would reinstate the original language. Co-Chair Green removed her objection. There being no further objection, Amendment #1 was ADOPTED. 9:43:25 AM ROD COMBELLICK, Member, Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission and Deputy Director, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Department of Natural Resources, testified via teleconference from offnet site and affirmed that DNR is the administrator of the Commission. Amendment #1 addressed both the Commission's and the Department's concern that the Senate State Affairs language would "broaden the scope" of the Commission's responsibilities "to include all geologic hazards even those that were not seismically induced". Amendment #1 "would refocus the Commission's purview in the area of earthquake hazards". Mr. Combellick noted the bill would also expand the Commission's "purview to include tsunami hazards". This expansion is considered "appropriate". Mr. Combellick pointed out that Amendment #1 would also remove volcanic eruptions from the purview of the Commission. The Commission supports this exclusion because that activity is currently under the purview of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), in which the State is a participant. The Commission's responsibilities should not overlap with those of that "very effective body". Mr. Combellick stated DNR supports the Commission extension, as it would allow the Commission to further its recommendations on issues it had identified in a recent report [copy not provided] to the Department. 9:45:52 AM Senator Olson asked the level of communication between the Commission and AVO. Mr. Combellick responded that a "considerable" amount of communication occurs between the two entities, specifically as the State's participation in AVO is conducted through his agency. He is the direct conduit between the entities. Mr. Combellick shared that during the recent Mount Saint Augustine volcano eruption there was concern the volcano "might generate a tsunami". The Commission relied on AVO to appropriately address that situation. 9:46:57 AM Co-Chair Wilken noted the State would provide for the travel expenses of the eight Commission's member employed by the State. To that point, he asked whether funds would be allocated for the travel expenses incurred by the Commission's three public members, as specified in Sec. 2(c)(7) page 2 lines 4 through 6 of the bill. Else wise, this issue might negatively impact public member recruitment. Mr. Combellick noted that sufficient funding is available to provide for all members' travel. He pointed out, however, that the agencies in which the State Commission members are employed typically cover these expenses. Co-Chair Wilken concluded therefore that not addressing this issue in the bill "would not preclude the public members' being taken care of". Mr. Combellick affirmed. While this issue is not specifically addressed in this bill, the Commission was granted such authority in the original legislation. Co-Chair Green understood therefore that Commission travel expenses were addressed in existing Statute. Mr. Combellick affirmed. Travel authority for the Commission was provided in legislation adopted in 2002. 9:48:56 AM JOHN AHO, Chair, Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission, testified via teleconference from an offnet site. The Commission has been very active and this extension would enable it to continue its "seismic risk mitigation activities". The Commission's efforts "are extremely important" to the State. Co-Chair Wilken moved to report the bill from Committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, SCS CS HB 83(FIN) was REPORTED from Committee with previous zero fiscal note #4 dated January 20, 2006 from the Department of Natural Resources. AT EASE 9:50:19 AM / 10:10:46 AM Co-Chair Green called the meeting back to order. 10:10:56 AM