HB 12-RAIL/UTILITY EASEMENT TO AK-CANADA BORDER CHAIRMAN WARD called the Senate Transportation Committee meeting to order at 1:40 p.m. He brought up HB 12 and invited Representative James to present it. Number 025 REPRESENTATIVE JEANETTE JAMES explained the bill is subject to legislative appropriation and would reauthorize a corridor connecting the existing rail line in Alaska to the Canadian railroad in British Columbia, or wherever it is determined to be. It reauthorizes the bill put into statute in 1982, because the applications were dropped by DOTPF in 1996. The addition made in House Finance Committee on page 2, lines 9-11, provides the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shall promptly delineate the corridor that was previously identified on all of the maps and records maintained by DNR. She said that's the only difference in the CS and the original bill. CHAIRMAN WARD asked the pleasure of the committee. SENATOR PEARCE moved CSSSHB 12(FIN)am from committee with individual recommendations. SENATOR LINCOLN interjected that she would like to ask a question. She asked if the Canadians are enthused about the extension from Alaska into Canada, because the residents she has spoken with in Whitehorse were not enthused. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES replied that her discussions with Canadians have conveyed their excitement about this. A public teleconference with interested parties is scheduled for the latter part of April to discuss the problems and benefits of that railroad connection. The Canadian Arctic Railroad has shown an interest in this issue. Number 108 SENATOR LINCOLN said it was a couple weeks ago when she spoke to the Yukon officials. She also found that some of the First Nations people are not too excited about the railroad extension, and she asked if it crosses Native lands in Canada, or in Alaska. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES answered, there are some Native lands in Alaska identified on this corridor, and she sent out letters asking for their comments. Six years ago she found a big resistance from the Native community to legislation providing any kind of access from Fairbanks to the Seward Peninsula. Now the attitude has changed. She said, "They don't want roads but they would consider rails." This piece of legislation simply authorizes the delineation of a corridor, subject to legislative appropriation. SENATOR LINCOLN withdrew her objection. CHAIRMAN WARD stated for the record that the Canadian government has supported the corridor since 1982 when he took part in passing the original corridor as a member of the House. He is surprised the First Nations are not supportive because they played an active part in it in 1982. SENATOR LINCOLN clarified that only some of the First Nations people were opposed to it. CHAIRMAN WARD noted that the objection is not maintained, and HB 12 passed out of committee with individual recommendations.