ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,  INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM  February 5, 2004 2:10 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Cheryll Heinze, Chair Representative Lesil McGuire, Vice Chair Representative Pete Kott Representative Nancy Dahlstrom Representative Harry Crawford MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Vic Kohring Representative Sharon Cissna COMMITTEE CALENDAR ^HEARING ON THE JOINT ENERGY POLICY TASK FORCE REPORT (continued) TAPES  04-5, SIDE(S) A & B 04-6, SIDE(S) A CHAIR CHERYLL HEINZE called the meeting of the House Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade and Tourism, which had been recessed on February 3, 2004, back to order at 2:10 p.m. Representatives Heinze, Kott, and Dahlstrom were present at the call back to order. Representatives McGuire and Crawford arrived as the meeting was in progress. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION  BECKY GAY, Project Manager, Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and Alaska Energy Authority (AEA); Staff, Joint Energy Policy Task Force, closed the task force's testimony on its report on the Railbelt. ERIC YOULD, Alaska Power Association, discussed the structure of the Railbelt and the costs of upgrading the system. JOE GRIFFITH, Chugach Electric Association, discussed the structure of the Railbelt and the costs of upgrading the system. TUCKERMAN BABCOCK, Matanuska Electric Association (MEA), endorsed the task force's report. JAMES POSEY, Matanuska Electric Association, discussed the tools recommended by the report and how those would facilitate the upgrade of the Railbelt system. WILL NEBESKY, Division of Oil & Gas, Department of Natural Resources, discussed gas supplies in Cook Inlet and Southcentral Alaska. STEVE HAAGENSON, Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA), discussed joint action agencies (JAAs) and their importance to the future of the Railbelt. RICK ECKERT, Homer Electric Association, discussed the impact of gas supplies on the economy of the Kenai Peninsula and the reappropriation of the Railbelt energy fund. JACK EKSTROM, Director, Government Affairs, Evergreen Resources, Inc., Denver, Colorado, discussed potential coal bed methane and gas supplies in Southcentral Alaska. BRUCE DAVISON, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, Chugach Electric Association, spoke about redundancy, the utilities' financial health, and cyber security within the Railbelt. H.A. "RED" BOUCHER, Chairman, Board of Directors, Chugach Electric Association; Vice Chairman, Joint Energy Policy Task Force, also spoke about redundancy, the financial health of the utilities, and cyber-security concerns within the Railbelt. ANNOUNCEMENTS  There were no announcements. COMMITTEE ACTION  The committee took no action. ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade and Tourism meeting was adjourned at an unspecified time. NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Third Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.