HJR 11-ENDORSING ANWR LEASING CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced HJR 11 to be up for consideration. MS. JUDY JORDAN, Aide for Representative Gail Phillips, noted that her sponsor statement was in their packets. Similar legislation has passed in previous legislatures and Representative Phillips wanted to reaffirm this legislature's support and give the opportunity to new legislators to express their support for it. She was concerned, also, that new members of congress understand that Alaska is strongly behind opening of ANWR. MS. JULIE RAYMOND YAKOUBIAN, Fairbanks resident, opposed HJR 11. The coastal plain is important to protect. It has a few hundred species of birds and has musk oxen, polar bears, and the Porcupine caribou herd. The coastal plain is important culturally for the people who depend on the Porcupine caribou herd. MR. BRENDEN RAYMOND YAKOUBIAN opposed HJR 11. He wanted them to keep three words in mind when thinking about oil development in the Alaska Arctic. The first is economy. It makes little sense to drill oil because it subjects us to the boom and bust cycle of the oil market. The second "e" is ecology. Scientists the world over have proved time again how crucial the Arctic's physical environment is to the rest of the planet. The third "e" is ethnocentrism. Largely euro-American legislative bodies have ignored the situation of its cognitive first peoples. This is illogical and immoral. CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked him if he had ever visited the ANWR. MR. YAKOUBIAN said he and Julie hadn't been beyond the Brooks Range. They have been to Cold Foot and have read extensive literature by people who have been in the operating areas for various reasons. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said his statements are unfortunate and unfair especially since he had never been to the areas. The description of garbage all over the place is not true. MR. YAKOUBIAN responded that Kuparuk was a lot different than Prudhoe Bay. MR. WILLY DUNNE, Homer resident, opposed HJR 11. He disagreed that development of the ANWR oil fields would help offset our declining oil revenues. ANWR is federal property and we would not get much in the way of royalties from it. ANWR is no more owned by Alaskans than the Statue of Liberty is owned by the state of New York. It is a national treasure. At one point Senator Murkowski commented that ANWR should be called the Arctic Refuge, because it is a wildlife refuge. SENATOR LINCOLN proposed amending HJR 11 to add a phrase that may have been accidentally left out: "WHEREAS the state will ensure the continued health and productivity of the Porcupine caribou herd and the protection of land, water, and wildlife resources during the exploration of development of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and..." Number 310 CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced it would go on page 2, line 31. There were no objections and the amendment carried. REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS directed their attention to a technical amendment on page 2, line 4 noting the word "imported" should be "imports". SENATOR PEARCE said that she had a letter from the Mayor of the North Slope Borough that was written to President Clinton regarding Secretary of Interior Babbitt's support of the proposed wilderness designation for ANWR that she wanted entered into the record. The point is that the people who live in the coastal plain and across the North Slope for thousands of years would prove that the Arctic is not an untouched wilderness never visited by man. People have called it home as long as the caribou have calved. They believe they best know how to work with the federal and state agencies on how to protect the coastal plain. An erroneous inference made, SENATOR PEARCE said, by a gentleman from Fairbanks that Alyeska was somehow hiding something by all the security they have at Pump Station 1 and along the pipeline. She explained that security is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation who has the oversight authority through the right- of-way permit for the pipeline and Alyeska would just as soon not pay for all their security which is primarily to insure there are no terrorist attacks. CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked because we have legislation pending making this area wilderness, would it be wise to not only state we would like to see the coastal plain of ANWR open for exploration, but also that we oppose the designation of the coastal plain portion of ANWR as wilderness. REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS responded that would be a perfectly logical amendment to put in. She would be glad to work up another resolution. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said they could add another "Further Resolved". He announced an at ease from 3:35 to 3:40 p.m. CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced there was a proposed amendment on page 3, line 7 after the request for opening to insert "and that the Alaska State Legislature is adamantly opposed to further wilderness or other restrictive federal designations in the area of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." SENATOR PARNELL moved the amendment. SENATOR LINCOLN objected because the Arctic village of Venetie in her district depends heavily on the Porcupine caribou herd and she thought they would be in opposition to the designation of wilderness. CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked if she meant they support the designation of wilderness. SENATOR LINCOLN said yes. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he respected that position and said she could check that with them before it comes to the floor for a vote. He asked for those in favor of the amendment to raise their hands. SENATORS PARNELL, GREEN, PETE KELLY, and HALFORD voted yes; SENATOR LINCOLN voted no and the amendment carried. SENATOR LINCOLN said she wasn't speaking on behalf of the Tanana Chief's Conference, but she did have a conversation in which they expressed their opposition to the resolution, but hadn't yet testified or written a letter to that effect. She added that she truly believed that Arctic Village and Venetie utilize the Porcupine caribou herd in every aspect of their lives. There is no question in her mind that the folks would die without that herd. CHAIRMAN HALFORD responded that he believed development on the coastal plain would not in any way harm that herd, but he understands their concern. History of oil development has proven that herds have not been significantly damaged, particularly when the proposed development is a smaller footprint than Washington National Airport. There is also a substantial opinion that development can occur with no negative impact on that herd and on calving in that area. SENATOR PARNELL moved to pass SCSHJR 11(RES) from committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.