HCR 10-RESTORATION OF RIPARIAN HABITAT  CHAIR SCOTT OGAN announced HCR 10 to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE KELLY WOLF, sponsor, said HCR 10 basically supports habitat throughout the state of Alaska. He explained: Residents of Alaska are dependent on the fisheries resource of the state for consumptive uses and a source of income as well as enjoyment of fishing. Riparian habitat is a vital key to maintaining the fisheries as a healthy resource. State and federal agencies are charged with keeping Alaska's waters clean, fishable and drinkable. The state benefits by partnering with non-profit organizations. Local community involvement helps promote the awareness, stewardship and public education about this riparian habitat. Support from private organizations and corporate funding sources for restoration projects will help the state find new sources to restore riparian habitat. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF said that Alaska, with a nearly $28 billion Permanent Fund that owns stock in 2,000 American and 1,000 overseas corporations, is in a unique position to encourage corporations to work with community groups and non-profit organizations throughout Alaska to help protect one of Alaska's greatest resources. SENATOR GEORGIANNA LINCOLN arrived at 3:35 p.m. SENATOR KIM ELTON pointed out that this resolution has a resolve clause and asked why it is not addressed to anyone, like the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), for instance. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied that getting state and federal agencies to work together has always been a contentious enterprise. The idea he is putting forward is that organizations and communities can take it upon themselves to encourage cooperation. SENATOR ELTON retorted, "The way you encourage people is to let people know what you've said and we're not doing that. I find it odd." CHAIR OGAN asked Senator Elton if he wanted to offer an amendment. SENATOR ELTON replied that at this point, he might inadvertently leave out someone who should be notified. CHAIR OGAN asked Representative Wolf if he would consider an amendment. He indicated that he would and he would start by including all federal and state agencies that are responsible for resource management. SENATOR DYSON supported Senator Elton's remarks and felt that because of the tenor of the resolution, all the advocacy groups should be included, too. SENATOR WAGONER inserted that the Kenai River Center might have a complete list of relevant groups. SENATOR SEEKINS wanted to know the scope of what is considered to be riparian habitat. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied: Riparian habitat is an area that remains wet through the normal tidal change and the issue of habitat...is that that is affected by [indisc.] mean high and down below. Watershed is from the top of the mountain to ordinary high water. SENATOR RALPH SEEKINS said the resolution doesn't refer to the watershed, but the streams and the marshes that feed into the streams. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF agreed. SENATOR SEEKINS asked him for an example of a habitat restoration practice that would be beneficial to anadromous fish streams. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied that restoration techniques have been around for a hundred years and vary from Indonesian coconut fiber logs to straw logs and burlap soil bags, replanting of compatible vegetation, willow wraps, sod layers and more. SENATOR SEEKINS asked if anything in habitat restoration conflicts with other uses of the water column, i.e. rafting, canoeing, boating, etc. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied that 555,000 angler days occur on the Russian River annually and the U.S. Forest Service has built elevated walkways to allow access to and along the river. The most common restoration technology for simply directing traffic is just planting willows along the walkways. SENATOR SEEKINS said the City of Fairbanks just had a hearing on a proposed Department of Natural Resources (DNR) management plan for the Upper Chena River, which limited the number of boats and restricted certain historical accesses to the river and other recreational activities. He asked since the Upper Chena is an anadromous fish stream, would his proposal interfere with historical uses. REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied no and explained that habitat restoration is a method of restoring what has been damaged. State agencies are very attuned to the fact that people live there, too. SENATOR SEEKINS noted that the meeting on the Upper Chena was probably one of the most contentious and well-attended meetings he had seen in years. CHAIR OGAN said that HCR 10 would be held for further work.