S/JUD - 3/30/94 SENATOR TAYLOR brought SB 280 (ESTABLISH AFOGNAK ISLAND STATE PARK) K) before the committee as the next order of business. He directed attention to backup material and explained it is the legislation by which the State of Alaska would accept the areas (shaded in yellow on the front of the material) that are being purchased from the Native corporation by the federal government, through the trustees, utilizing funds from the Exxon oil sale. He also noted there was a draft committee substitute before the committee for its consideration. CRAIG TILLERY, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Law, stated he works with the trustee council and was involved in doing the work on the purchase of the land. He explained the land was acquired by the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council, and it was land that was originally sought by the Department of Interior for inclusion in a nearby national wildlife refuge. The state trustees on the Trustee Council objected to that, indicating their views that the land had much more in common with nearby Shuyak State Park, and they requested that the state be given the opportunity to acquire the land. It was agreed that the state would have that opportunity, that they would have one year from the date of purchase in order to include the land within a state park. The purchase was completed on November 23, 1993, and, if the land is to come within state ownership, the Legislature must create the park by November of this year. Mr. Tillery pointed out that SB 280 has received wide support from the Kodiak Island Borough, the City of Kodiak, the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, a variety of fishing groups, timber groups, etc. Mr. Tillery said the bill has provisions in it which say that the status as a state park shall not impair uses of owners of land nearby or adjacent to the state park. He added there is no intent to interfere with valid existing rights which would include the road use agreement. The bill also contains a mandatory section that requires reasonable access for hunting, fishing, trapping, etc. Mr. Tillery noted that Senator Taylor had asked that the department look into the issue of the cost this acquisition might have in terms of jobs. He said the mayor and the people in Kodiak view this as a job enhancer. The money that was paid to the Native corporation is being put in trust fund for use by the people for the development and sustaining of jobs. Number 314 SENATOR LITTLE asked for Mr. Tillery's comments on the proposed committee substitute. MR. TILLERY said he didn't think the committee substitute changes any of the legal descriptions or the uses of the land. He said it deals with a matter not particularly connected with Afognak Island State Park in the sense that it appears to adopt a no net loss policy for multiple use lands. He added that it would not invalidate the deal with the state and the Trustee Council. Number 345 SENATOR HALFORD moved that CSSB 280(JUD) be adopted. SENATOR LITTLE objected, stating that she disagrees with some of the findings in the bill, and she disagrees that when designating additional park land that it requires removing that same amount of acreage from park designation. SENATOR TAYLOR responded that he didn't know how in good faith to the public we could possibly accept and create another 44,000 acres of park lands when we can't even manage 18 parks that already have some level of development in them. He added that if this is precious enough property that we need to go get it, then we should be willing to say to the public that we're going to do something with this one, and we should give up some of the ones that we currently can no longer afford to maintain. SENATOR TAYLOR stated there would be roll call vote on Senator Halford's motion to adopt the committee substitute. The roll was taken with the following result: Senators Jacko, Taylor, Halford voted "Yea" and Senator Little voted "Nay." The Chairman stated CSSB 280(JUD) was adopted. Number 385 SENATOR JACKO moved that CSSB 280(JUD) be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. SENATOR LITTLE objected. The roll was taken with the following result: Senators Jacko, Halford and Taylor voted "Yea" and Senator Little voted "Nay." The Chairman stated the motion carried.