HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE September 2, 1998 9:10 a.m. COMMITTEE CALENDAR Briefing from DOT/PF on the Draft Southeast Transportation Plan TAPE(S) 98-24, SIDES A & B 98-25, SIDES A & B CALL TO ORDER Representative Bill Hudson, Acting Chairman, convened the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting at 9:10 a.m. PRESENT Committee members present at the call to order were Representatives Hudson, Elton and Kookesh. Representatives Cowdery and Williams joined the meeting while in progress via teleconference. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION TOM BRINGHAM, Director, Statewide Planning, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, offered introductory remarks regarding the Southeast Transportation Draft Plan and discussed the main objectives of the plan. He also responded to questiones asked by committee members and the public. JEFF OTTESON, Statewide Planning Chief, Division of Statewide Planning, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, gave a detailed slide presentation of the draft plan and answered questions posed by the committee members and the public pertaining to the plan. A copy of the slide presentation is in the committee file. CAPTAIN BOB DAHL, General Manager, Alaska Marine Highway System, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, responded to questions asked by members of the committee and the public. He also offered his perceptions as to the essential elements that need to be observed during the implementation of the plan. ROBERT MARTIN, JR., Regional Manager, Southeast Region, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, offered comments regarding the reasons as to why Hyder was excluded from the plan. BERNE MILLER, Executive Director, Southeast Conference, reviewed the formation of the advisory committee and the important role that community input has had in the development of the plan. He commented on the support that the plan has received from the Southeast Alaska Conference of Mayors and the intentions of the Southeast Alaska Conference of Mayors to endorse the plan. He also responded to questions from committee members. JOHN PEARSON, representing the community of Hyder, Economic Development Advisor to Hyder, expressed Hyder's desire to be included in the plan and reviewed the community's needs for service; stating that Hyder would be constructing one of Alaska's largest bottled water plants in the near future. He also answered questions from the committee members regarding Hyder's situation. JOHN HILL, Staff Planner, Planning Department, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, asked questions of DOT/PF regarding the plan via the teleconference network. DOUG WARD, Alaska Ship and Dry Dock, stated, via the teleconference network, that the new ferry designs could be constructed in Southeast Alaska and expressed interest in working together with the planners during this process. BOYD BROWNFIELD, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, commented on the relationship between the Juneau Access EIS Plan and the Southeast Transportation Plan. He stated the plans are designed to be merged together. He also responded to questions from committee members. COMMITTEE ACTION The committee took no action. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. NOTE: The meeting was recorded and log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the House Records Office at 130 Seward Street, Suite 211, Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182, (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature, in the Legislative Reference Library.