ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 24, 2023
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Click Bishop, Co-Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Co-Chair
Senator Bill Wielechowski, Vice Chair
Senator Scott Kawasaki
Senator James Kaufman
Senator Forrest Dunbar
Senator Matt Claman
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 90
"An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska Minerals
Commission."
- HEARD & HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 34
"An Act reestablishing the Citizens' Advisory Commission on
Federal Management Areas in Alaska; and providing for an
effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
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."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10
Disapproving the proposed rule by the National Park Service
limiting non-subsistence hunting methods; and urging the
National Park Service to withdraw the rule.
- MOVED HJR 10 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 68
"An Act relating to public notice for a sale, appropriation, or
removal of water, or for filing a declaration of a right of
water; and providing for an effective date."
- BILL HEARING CANCELED
SENATE BILL NO. 72
"An Act relating to public notice for a sale, appropriation, or
removal of water, or for filing a declaration of a right of
water; and providing for an effective date."
-BILL HEARING CANCELED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 90
SHORT TITLE: EXTEND ALASKA MINERALS COMMISSION
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) BISHOP
03/06/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/06/23 (S) RES, FIN
03/22/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/22/23 (S) Heard & Held
03/22/23 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/24/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 34
SHORT TITLE: CITIZEN ADVISORY COMM ON FEDERAL AREAS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) KAUFMAN
01/18/23 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/13/23
01/18/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/18/23 (S) RES, FIN
03/15/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/15/23 (S) Heard & Held
03/15/23 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/24/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 87
SHORT TITLE: LUMBER GRADING PROGRAM
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) BJORKMAN
03/01/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/01/23 (S) RES, FIN
03/15/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/15/23 (S) Heard & Held
03/15/23 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/24/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: HJR 10
SHORT TITLE: NAT'L PARK SERVICE; HUNTING IN PRESERVES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) CRONK
03/06/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/06/23 (H) RES
03/13/23 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
03/13/23 (H) Moved HJR 10 Out of Committee
03/13/23 (H) MINUTE(RES)
03/15/23 (H) RES RPT 9DP
03/15/23 (H) DP: MEARS, ARMSTRONG, DIBERT, MCCABE,
RAUSCHER, PATKOTAK, WRIGHT, SADDLER,
MCKAY
03/17/23 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
03/17/23 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
03/20/23 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
03/20/23 (H) VERSION: HJR 10
03/20/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/20/23 (S) <Pending Referral>
03/22/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/22/23 (S) RES
03/24/23 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
RANDY ZARNKE, President
Alaska Trappers Association
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 34.
ED MARTIN, representing self
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 87.
RODNEY DIAL, Mayor
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 87.
JOE YOUNG, Owner
Young's Timber Inc.
Tok, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 87.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE CRONK, District 36
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HJR 10.
NANCY BALE, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to HJR 10.
NICOLE SCHMITT, Executive Director
Alaska Wildlife Alliance
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to HJR 10.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:31 PM
CO-CHAIR CLICK BISHOP called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Dunbar, Wielechowski, Kawasaki, Co-Chair
Giessel, and Co-Chair Bishop. Senators Kaufman and Claman
arrived soon thereafter.
SB 90-EXTEND ALASKA MINERALS COMMISSION
3:31:31 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO.
90 "An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska Minerals
Commission."
3:32:04 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP opened public testimony on SB 90; finding none,
he closed public testimony.
SENATOR KAUFMAN joined the committee.
3:32:20 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP held SB 90 in committee.
SB 34-CITIZEN ADVISORY COMM ON FEDERAL AREAS
3:32:24 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO.
34 "An Act reestablishing the Citizens' Advisory Commission on
Federal Management Areas in Alaska; and providing for an
effective date."
3:32:29 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP opened public testimony on SB 34.
3:32:58 PM
RANDY ZARNKE, President, Alaska Trappers Association, Fairbanks,
Alaska, stated support for SB 34 to reauthorize the Citizens'
Advisory Commission on Federal Management Areas in Alaska
(CACFA). He relayed that when Congress passed the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), the Alaska
Legislature recognized that federal agencies could impact the
lives of individual Alaskans and that they would need help
defending their rights. He said CACFA staff had knowledge of
ANILCA and knew how to interact with federal agencies.
MR. ZARNKE shared a personal story from 25 years ago when he
needed help from CAFCA to get a permit for a trapper cabin on
BLM land. ANILCA obligates BLM to allow this, but the agency
made the process as difficult as possible. He asked CACFA for
help and they responded immediately. He emphasized that there
are many individual Alaskans that need help defending their
rights from federal overreach. He opined that the cost to the
state treasury to reauthorize CACFA would be minimal, but the
impact on individual Alaskans would be huge.
3:35:08 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on SB 34 and held the
bill in committee.
3:34:20 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN joined the committee.
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.
HJR 10-NAT'L PARK SERVICE; HUNTING IN PRESERVES
3:43:28 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of HOUSE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 10 Disapproving the proposed rule by the National
Park Service limiting non-subsistence hunting methods; and
urging the National Park Service to withdraw the rule.
CO-CHAIR BISHOP noted that HJR 10 was the companion to SJR 8
that the committee heard on 3/20/23. He invited Representative
Cronk to introduce the legislation.
3:44:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE CRONK, District 36, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HJR 10, stated that this
resolution lays out the history of Alaska's right to manage its
fish and wildlife resources, including the most recent erosion
of those rights. HJR 10 expresses strong objection to the
National Park Service prohibition of long-standing hunting
practices that are allowed under state law. He opined that
regardless of differing opinions on management practices, there
should be no disagreement about the state's right to manage its
own fish and wildlife resources.
3:45:08 PM
At ease
3:45:15 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP reconvened the meeting and opened public
testimony on HJR 10.
3:45:29 PM
NANCY BALE, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
opposition to HJR 10. She relayed that she and her husband built
their cabin in the Bush and lived there for 20 years. They were
among the last Alaskans to obtain their land under the Homestead
Act. Based on her experience, she supports the proposed National
Park Service rule for preserves and believes it is fair. She
asked the committee to consider what she believes would happen
under the rule.
1) The state would continue to manage hunting on preserves. Just
some activities such as bear-baiting, hunting wolves in summer,
hunting bear sows and cubs together, and hunting certain caribou
would be outlawed. The federal government would manage
subsistence hunting in preserves as it does now.
2) Case law shows that the federal government can reasonably
regulate on federal land. She believes the proposed rule is
reasonable. It doesn't ban close to 50 percent of activities
that currently occur on preserves, which represent just six
percent of Alaska's landmass.
3) Alaskans will still have plenty of opportunity to hunt on
preserves. An identical rule that was in place from 2015 to 2020
created no serious conflicts.
MS. BALE concluded that she is an Alaskan who likes the proposed
NPS rule. She urged the committee not to forward either SJR 8 or
HJR 10.
3:48:09 PM
NICOLE SCHMITT, Executive Director, Alaska Wildlife Alliance
(AWA), Anchorage, Alaska, testified in opposition to HJR 10. She
cautioned that resolutions like HJR 10 take biologically
informed rule-making processes and elevate them to political
grands. The issues in the rule are nuanced and specific and they
should be considered. She agreed with the previous testimony
that the NPS rule will still allow predator hunting. She pointed
out that predator control and predator hunting are very
different in both statute and regulation.
MS. SCHMITT stated that the rule does not change the ability for
Alaskans to present the Board of Game and federal Subsistence
Board with proposals for different hunting practices. The rule
makes certain practices unlawful on preserves, but there will
still be ample opportunities for Alaskans to hunt. Federally
qualified subsistence hunters will continue to be able to hunt
on preserves and non-federally qualified users don't have that
ability under current regulations. She encouraged the committee
to look dispassionately at the details of the National Park
Service concerns about bearbaiting stations and public safety
and how the agency came to its conclusions. She opined that the
rule is based on years of biological and agency review. She
urged the committee not to support HJR 10 and instead address
any concern about the proposed NPS rule during the public
comment period that closes next Monday.
3:51:05 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on HJR 10. Finding no
questions or comments, he solicited a motion.
3:51:17 PM
CO-CHAIR GIESSEL moved to report HJR 10, work order 33-LS0562\A,
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note(s).
3:51:33 PM
CO-CHAIR BISHOP found no objection and HJR 10 was reported from
the Senate Resources Standing Committee.
3:51:52 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Bishop adjourned the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting at 3:51 p.m.