SB 87-LUMBER GRADING PROGRAM  3:35:40 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 87 "An Act relating to a lumber grading training program and lumber grading certificates; relating to use of lumber graded and certified by a person holding a lumber grading training program certificate; and providing for an effective date." 3:35:50 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP opened public testimony on SB 87. 3:36:14 PM ED MARTIN, representing self, Kenai, Alaska, testified in support of SB 87. He opined that a timber grading program should have been implemented years ago. His belief is that it is the legislature's duty to work with or create a program that gets timber resources into the market by whatever means industry standards require. He said he supports SB 87 but suggests amending the bill to allow the private sector to offer this service instead of relying solely to the University of Alaska. This may save money. 3:38:46 PM RODNEY DIAL, Mayor, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Ketchikan, Alaska, testified in support of SB 87. He paraphrased the following prepared testimony: [Original punctuation provided.] I am writing this letter in support of SB 87; The Lumber Grading Program. Areas within the Ketchikan Gateway borough and Southeast Alaska have a long history of logging and small sawmills. Many of our oldest homes were produced with locally made lumber; that many are still standing today is a testament to the quality. During the pandemic we witnessed how fragile the supply chain is and saw dramatic increases in the cost to import lumber. Locally we have paid as much as $12 for a 2x4 and $150 for sheets of plywood. In early 2021, we conducted a community wide risk assessment on how the pandemic was affecting our economy. That assessment revealed that increased lumber costs added roughly $30,000 extra to the construction of a new home. This was in addition to sharply rising shipping costs for our remote communities. SB 87 is important to us, because like many other regions, we are facing a housing crisis. Access to affordable housing is a major problem, only getting worse as time moves on. We see this bill as a way to facilitate local access to locally produced lumber; supporting affordable housing and hopefully creating new jobs in the process. This is not going to solve our housing problems by itself, but it is supportive and I would encourage your consideration of this important legislation. 3:41:07 PM JOE YOUNG, Owner, Young's Timber Inc., Tok, Alaska, testified in support of SB 87. He read the following prepared testimony: [Original punctuation provided.] My name is Joe Young, Owner of Young's Timber Inc in Tok and a big supporter of SB 87. Thank you, Co-Chairs Senator Bishop & Senator Giessel and the rest of the Senate Resources Committee Members, for allowing me to testify on Senate Bill 87. Young's Timber Inc has been in business since 1993 and has 4 different types of Sawmills producing a wide range of value-added products and has 12 employees. Quality, white spruce lumber is one of those value- added products. Young's Timber Inc gets a lot of positive comments from its customers on the quality of lumber it produces compared to the lumber quality that's imported from the lower 48 & Canada into the State of Alaska. Yet, Young's Timber Inc's lumber isn't graded or certified and to be certified it is now cost prohibitive to bring a Lumber Grader from the lower 48 States. Alaskan Spruce is comparative to Douglas Fir in test loads, compression strength, and elasticity. Senate Bill 87 lumber grading training program, lumber grading certificates and use of graded and certified lumber will not only greatly increase Young's Timber Inc's lumber sales but the lumber sales of all Alaskan's Lumber Producers. Senate Bill 87 will create timber industry jobs and affordable rural housing. I recommend to the Senate Resources Committee to pass Senate Bill 87 Another note I have is that Alaskan Value-Added Producers need access to a reliable, steady, and long term supply of Alaskan State Timber for success. 3:42:48 PM SENATOR CLAMAN asked how many board feet his Alaska mills collectively produce in a year. MR. YOUNG answered that they collectively produce about 500,000 board feet. 3:43:17 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on SB 87 and held the bill in committee.