HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON OIL AND GAS March 21, 1996 9:11 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Norman Rokeberg, Chair Representative Gary Davis Representative Bill Williams Representative Bettye Davis MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Scott Ogan, Vice Chair Representative Tom Brice Representative David Finkelstein COMMITTEE CALENDAR HOUSE BILL NO. 342 "An Act relating to water quality." - MOVED CSHB 342 (O&G) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS ACTION  BILL: HB 342 SHORT TITLE: WATER QUALITY STANDARDS SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) ROKEBERG JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 05/09/95 2042 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S) 05/09/95 2042 (H) O&G, RESOURCES 10/17/95 (H) O&G AT 1:00 PM ANCHORAGE LIO 10/17/95 (H) MINUTE(O&G) 02/13/96 (H) O&G AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 124 02/20/96 (H) O&G AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 124 02/20/96 (H) MINUTE(O&G) 03/21/96 (H) O&G AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 124 WITNESS REGISTER SHIRLEY ARMSTRONG, Legislative Aide for Representative Rokeberg Alaska State Legislature State Capitol, Room 110 Juneau, AK 99801 Telephone: (907) 465-4968 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on CSHB 342 (O&G) ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 96-14, SIDE A Number 000 The House Oil & Gas Special Committee was called to order by Chairman Norman Rokeberg at 9:11 a.m. Members present at the call to order were Representatives Rokeberg, G. Davis, Williams and B. Davis. A quorum was present. HB 342 - WATER QUALITY STANDARDS CHAIRMAN NORMAN ROKEBERG, sponsor of HB 342, said a committee substitute had been drafted. Number 0109 REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS made a motion to adopt CSHB 342 (O&G), version 9-LS1141\C. Hearing no objection CSHB 342 was now before the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG referred to a meeting held on February 20, 1996, and said a solution was attempted which satisfied the Administration and the users of water in the state of Alaska. He said CSHB 342 does not require more stringent standards for water discharge than "what is received by the user." He said CSHB 342 requires the Administration to enact regulations that are consistent with applicable federal regulations, not more stringent than the federal government. This provision would require that the state change their regulations in accordance with the federal government to make state regulations less restrictive. Number 0228 SHIRLEY ARMSTRONG, Legislative Aide for Representative Rokeberg, said the changes incorporated into the CSHB 342 include the addition of the term "existing" before "quality" on lines 5 and 8. She said, of the several proposed changes, this was the suggestion that made the most sense. She said, in Section 3, the original HB 342 said that sediments would be measured by the Imhoff Cone method, in CSHB 342 language was added, "or by another method approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for measurement of sediment." She said on page two, subsection (c) (indiscernible due to papers over the microphone) "was added." Number 0339 MS. ARMSTRONG said discussions with the Resources Development Council dealt with Section 1 and Section 2 where the language reads, "water received for the use". She said there is concern over the intent of this language. The original bill incorporated language which stated that the water quality did not have to be of a higher quality than when it was received for use. She said, in addition to this, the council would like language to be incorporated where water going into a sewage treatment plant would not have to be cleaned. She said the term for this type of water is "receiving water." CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG clarified that there was a difference between receiving water and water received. Number 0435 CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG said he would like to move CSHB 342 out of committee with the understanding that more work would occur to clarify the issues and be done in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). He said he had concerns related to the testimony, from the previous meeting, regarding the poor quality of receiving water. He said this is an issue where prior pollution might have occurred "from receiving water from another use." He expressed concerned that continued pollutants were being discharged. He said this is a problem that must be addressed in CSHB 342. He said suspended solid measurements and their impact on the major-med techniques must be incorporated as well. He said he would try to insure that the effluent discharge language is clarified and insure that the DEC's ability to run the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit system is not impaired. Number 0557 REPRESENTATIVE BETTYE DAVIS asked the next committee of referral was for CSHB 342 and was told that it would go to the House Resources Committee. Number 0570 CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG wanted to reassure the DEC that the legislature is very interested is issue and in the economic development in the state. He reassured the committee that the CSHB 342 would be properly drafted, giving all interested parties the right to participate in discussions around this issue. Number 0617 REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS clarified that DEC and the Administration were aware that a hearing was scheduled. Number 0640 REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS made a motion to move CSHB 342 (O&G) out of committee with attached fiscal note and individual recommendations. Hearing none, CSHB 342 (O&G) was moved from the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the House Oil & Gas Special Committee, Chairman Rokeberg adjourned the meeting at 9:20 a.m.