HJR 20-ROADLESS RULE & CHUGACH AND TONGASS HYDRO  4:20:16 PM CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced HJR 20 to be up for consideration [CSHJR 20(ENE) was before the committee]. CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to bring SCS CSHJR 20( ), version 27- LS0554\B, before the committee for purposes of discussion. CO-CHAIR WAGONER objected. 4:20:44 PM REPRESENTATIVE KYLE JOHANSEN, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of HJR 20, explained that 14 out of 15 hydro projects in the Tongass and the Chugach are subject to protection from the roadless rule in the Tongass and Chugach National Forests as a general blanket. This resolution asks to exempt hydroelectric projects from the roadless rule. The bottom line is without this exemption their stated goal of 50 percent of energy from renewables by 2025 as well as the President's goal of 25 percent of energy generated in the US coming from renewable resources by 2025 might not happen. He asked that Representative Thomas and his staff broaden the scope of the resolution by explaining the changes in the new Senate committee substitute (SCS). 4:22:16 PM KACI SCHROEDER, staff to Representative Bill Thomas, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, AK, explained that most of the changes in SCS CSHJR 20( ) occur on pages 2 and 3. On page 2, line 6, a "whereas" is inserted that points out that Southeast Alaska has large mineral deposits and asks for leniency in building roads towards them. 4:23:08 PM SENATOR FRENCH said the first of two "whereas" clauses referenced "roadless areas", the definition of which is in federal regulations, and the next "whereas" clause speaks about "wilderness" and asked the relationship, overlap and the degree of similarity between "roadless areas" and "wilderness". REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN said he would get that information to him by the end of the day, but that only the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture can say "yes" or "no" to roads in roadless areas. In Senator Stedman's district, a hydroproject would have to appeal specifically to the Secretary of the Department of Interior to simply open a road that is already constructed in order to get trucks and equipment up to the dam. That project alone would offset a large amount of diesel fuel usage in the forest. SENATOR FRENCH said he asked because the first "whereas" says that 57 percent of the acreage in the Tongass is roadless and the second "whereas" says an additional 35 percent is wilderness; and he guessed he was being asked to add 35 percent onto 57 percent to come up with 92 percent and he was curious about the overlap. His second question was whether the "seven projects" on page 2 were since May 28, 2010. REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN replied that was his understanding; he had checked with the Forest Service and the Southeast Alaska Power Agency this morning who said those facts were still accurate. SENATOR FRENCH said he needed some context to know if it's a punitive or reasonable request. REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN replied that he didn't bring people to testify per the request of the chair, so he couldn't answer that, but their real fear is that 14 out of the 15 projects are "absolutely crucial" to getting communities connected and off of diesel. 4:26:45 PM SENATOR FRENCH asked if those 14 projects can't be developed without relief from this rule. REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN replied that they would like these projects to be exempt from that rule, because they are important. CO-CHAIR WAGONER said the exemptions would have to be for the life of the projects as long as they are operational for maintenance purposes as well as construction and remarked that Cooper Lake behind Kenai Lake is the same type of small hydro project. SENATOR FRENCH noted that the resolution was unanimous in the other body. 4:28:29 PM At ease from 4:28 to 4:29 p.m. 4:29:21 PM CO-CHAIR WAGONER removed his objection. CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to report SCS CSHJR 20( ), version \B, from committee to the next committee of referral with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There were no objections and SCS CSHJR 20 (RES) moved from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.