SB 121-PFAS USE & REMEDIATION; FIRE/WATER SAFETY  3:35:50 PM VICE CHAIR MICCICHE announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 121 "An Act relating to pollutants; relating to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; relating to the duties of the Department of Environmental Conservation; relating to firefighting substances; relating to thermal remediation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination; and providing for an effective date." He noted that there was discussion during previous hearings about reducing the cost of the bill and the potential to hold the federal government responsible. The committee worked with the sponsor and he agreed to changes to achieve those goals. VICE CHAIR MICCICHE solicited a motion to adopt the work draft committee substitute (CS). 3:36:30 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt CSSB 121, work order 32-LS0001\W, as the working document. VICE CHAIR MICCICHE objected for purposes of discussion. 3:36:58 PM SENATOR JESSE KIEHL, speaking as sponsor, reviewed the following changes from version G to version W of SB 121: Explanation of Changes: ver. G to ver. W  Section 1:  46.03.340: Removes blood testing requirements. He reminded the committee that the primary focus of the bill was preventing future releases of PFAS to the water and environment in Alaska. Based on old analyses, he offered his estimate that removing the blood testing requirements would reduce the fiscal note by more than $1 million. He clarified that this was his estimate of the fiscal note that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) would subsequently provide. 46.03.345(a): Technical fix to clarify the liability provisions apply to providing clean drinking water. 46.03.345(b): Adds a new provision saying a government entity that required the release of PFAS-containing foam is liable for drinking water testing and providing clean drinking water in the areas of the release. SENATOR KIEHL stated that this new provision was the second large change reflected in the CS. He added that the CS also makes a technical fix to clarify that the liability provisions apply to providing clean drinking water throughout the process. This corrects an error in the original draft. The second small fix updates the effective date. Section 5: Updates the effective date. 3:38:49 PM VICE CHAIR MICCICHE withdrew his objection; finding no further objections, CSSB 21(RES) was adopted as the working document. SENATOR STEVENS asked why blood tests were removed from the committee substitute since those seemingly would be an important component in protecting the public. He asked who will pay for the tests if not the state. SENATOR KIEHL answered that the cost of blood tests is significant and DEC expressed concern about its ability to recover all the costs from responsible parties, which was the only time the bill would have a fiscal impact. It was a difficult decision to remove that provision and it may be a disappointment to some. However, it's important to note that the state does not require parties responsible for other contamination to provide blood tests for those contaminants as a consistent regular requirement. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) chemicals would have been treated differently and the compromise was to remove that provision from the bill. 3:40:19 PM VICE CHAIR MICCICHE found no further questions or comments and he solicited the will of the committee. 3:40:30 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to report CSSB 121, work order 32- LS0001\W, from committee with attached [fiscal notes] and individual recommendations. VICE CHAIR MICCICHE asked Senator Kiehl whether he was okay with the bill moving from committee. SENATOR KIEHL responded that he would live with it. VICE CHAIR MICCICHE found no objection and CSSB 121(RES) was reported from committee.