LR071
Resolve: LR071
Source Root: HJR066
Year: 1996
Source Bill: HJR 66 am
Relating to opposing the American Heritage Areas Program.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS the federal government is proposing to authorize an American Heritage Areas Program that would designate areas of the country and make those areas subject to legislation as part of the National Park System; and
WHEREAS federal proposals labeling private property invite, and are intended to invite, the destruction of private property rights, particularly when used by federal agencies in conjunction with other or subsequent legislation; and
WHEREAS provisions should be made under the American Heritage Areas Program in federal legislation to allow private property owners to reject or withdraw their property from such labeling without penalty, and to allow private property owners to avoid such labeling entirely; and
WHEREAS the National Park Service has devised the label "eligible but not designated" that creates the false impression that private property owners can avoid the consequences of being designated under the program despite the fact that this "eligible" label amounts to a de facto designation under the program because the government may treat eligible property the same as designated property under language such as, "This Act applies to. . . . . and properties eligible to be so designated"; and
WHEREAS the power to plan or zone private land is a power reserved to the states and the people of the states; and
WHEREAS, despite claims to the contrary, the clear intent and effect of the proposal would be to, de facto, involve the federal government in planning and zoning activities; and
WHEREAS it would be imprudent to tolerate or favor constitutionally questionable land designations and labels for which the consequences cannot be fully specified in advance but which appear likely to be injurious to private property rights; and
WHEREAS giving the American Heritage Areas Program a basis in legislation would greatly facilitate and increase the intrusive designation and labeling by government of private land; and
WHEREAS the enormity of some of the proposed areas (Rocky Mountain Heritage Corridor, Mississippi River Valley Heritage Corridor, and others) demonstrates an inexcusable and unacceptable federal arrogance;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes the authorization of an American Heritage Areas Program and urges the members of Alaska's Congressional delegation to oppose the authorization and work to abolish the American Heritage Areas Program.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
LR072
Resolve: LR072
Source Root: HCR038
Year: 1996
Source Bill: HCR 38
Relating to state control of the management of the region surrounding the Fortymile River and its drainage.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS the region surrounding the Fortymile River and its drainage has had a long history of mining use and is known to be one of the richest mining regions in the state; and
WHEREAS the United States Bureau of Land Management has used every means available to it to prevent mining in the Fortymile River region;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the governor to take the steps necessary for the state to assume control of the management of the region surrounding the Fortymile River and its drainage.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
LR073
Resolve: LR073
Source Root: HCR026
Year: 1996
Source Bill: CSHCR 26(FIN) am
Relating to creation of the Public Inebriate Task Force.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS, with passage of the Federal Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxication Treatment Act of 1971, the State of Alaska adopted the following policy: "that alcoholics and intoxicated persons should not be criminally prosecuted for their consumption of alcoholic beverages and that they should be afforded a continuum of treatment that can introduce them to, and help them learn new life skills and social skills that would be useful to them in attaining and maintaining normal lives as productive members of society"; and
WHEREAS Title 47 of the Alaska Statutes requires that inebriates be taken to the closest medical facility for screening before placing the inebriates in a public treatment facility or if none is available, in a city- or state-owned holding cell for a maximum of 12 hours or until their blood alcohol level is less than .10 and the costs of these medical screenings or the payment for the medical screenings have never been defined by AS 47; and
WHEREAS local medical facilities are directed to provide medical screening and medical treatment to intoxicated persons brought to them by public safety officials or emergency service personnel and can expect no remuneration for these services; and
WHEREAS community and state detention facilities, which are already overcrowded, must provide protective custody to persons who are taken into custody by community service patrols or public safety officials; and
WHEREAS this federal and state mandate has placed a significant burden on communities, especially those rural communities that do not have a continuum of treatment services available to effectively address this problem; and
WHEREAS this policy has created a public safety issue that results in an inordinate burden on local public safety officials to protect these individuals; and
WHEREAS, if this public safety issue is ignored, municipalities face significant legal liability issues;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State legislature establishes the Public Inebriate Task Force in order to develop and recommend to the legislature a plan for treatment and services for intoxicated persons and persons incapacitated by alcohol; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall
(1) evaluate federal law and state statutory and regulatory language relating to the protective custody provisions of AS 47;
(2) identify methods that may be implemented to minimize use of the protective custody provisions of AS 47;
(3) identify methods that may be implemented to maximize opportunity for treatment;
(4) determine costs to communities, public health facilities, and detention facilities;
(5) determine other costs related to the protective custody provisions of AS 47;
(6) evaluate and determine methods to utilize community solutions;
(7) evaluate policy that will organize and allow state departments to work collaboratively to solve this problem; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of 13 voting members as follows:
(1) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;
(3) seven members appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate as follows:
(A) one member of the Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse;
(B) two members nominated by the Alaska Municipal League;
(C) one member of the Alaska Mental Health Trust;
(D) one health care provider representing community hospital administrators;
(E) one substance abuse treatment provider;
(F) one member of the Alaska Native Health Board; and
(4) four members appointed by the Governor as follows:
(A) one member of the Department of Health and Social Services;
(B) one member of the Department of Public Safety;
(C) one member of the Department of Corrections;
(D) one member of the Department of Law; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall select a chair and vice-chair from the members of the task force, shall meet as frequently as the task force determines necessary to perform its work, and may meet and vote by teleconference; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the conduct of the task force meetings shall be in sessions open to the public where all interested parties may provide information; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by March 1, 1997; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is terminated on March 1, 1997.
SR005
Resolve: SR005
Source Root: SR005
Year: 1996
Source Bill: SR 5
Relating to the federal government's failure to abide by the intent of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
WHEREAS the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), P.L. 96- 487, was intended by its framers to fully settle the status of all federal land in Alaska and therefore provide much needed stability for the benefit of all businesses and citizens of the State of Alaska; and
WHEREAS two areas of extreme importance to Alaska in ANILCA were
(1) Title XI, which provided a mechanism to gain a right of access across Conservation System Units that were created as part of ANILCA; and
(2) Secs. 101d and 1326b of ANILCA which prohibited the creation of new Conservation System Units in Alaska; and
WHEREAS Title XI of ANILCA was specifically included to provide assured, reasonable, and timely access across the patchwork of federal Conservation System Units in Alaska but has been administered by the federal government in such a manner as to amount to no more than useless rhetoric; and
WHEREAS secs. 101d and 1326b of ANILCA were included to assure no further land withdrawals from multiple use from the federal land base in Alaska, but these provisions have also been ignored by the federal government since the passage of ANILCA; and
WHEREAS these two areas of extreme importance have been ignored by the federal government with the end result negatively affecting citizens and businesses in Alaska; and
WHEREAS Alaska has the ability to request land exchanges under secs. 103b and 1302h of ANILCA of land now known to contain high resource values that have been arbitrarily withdrawn from multiple use by ANILCA;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Senate respectfully requests that the federal government live up to the true intent of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in all issues of access, and creation of additional Conservation System Units, and fully support exchanges of high resource value land with Alaska to enable Alaska to establish greater economic and infrastructure opportunities for the people of the state.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Bob Dole, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
SR006
Resolve: SR006
Source Root: SR006
Year: 1996
Source Bill: CSSR 6(RES)
Endorsing passage of S. 506 and H.R. 1580, measures making responsible changes in the Mining Law of 1872.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
WHEREAS more than 60 percent of land in the state is federal land; and
WHEREAS most of this federal land is not currently open to mineral entry; and
WHEREAS much of the federal land in the state, including, for example, the location of the Greens Creek Mine on federal land within the Tongass National Forest, is of high mineral potential; and
WHEREAS orderly and responsible exploration and development of mineral resources on federal land within the state can do much to diversify and strengthen the state's economy; and
WHEREAS a significant amount of exploration and development of federal mineral land will take place in rural parts of the state, providing much needed jobs and infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, as the mining industry evolves, changes in the industry's legal underpinnings should be made, reflecting that applicable law remains cognizant of the industry's technological improvements;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Senate urges the governor, the Alaska Congressional delegation, and the Western Governors' Association to support S. 506 and H.R. 1580, measures proposing responsible changes in the Mining Law of 1872.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the members of the Western Governors' Association and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
97
HR001
Resolve: HR001
Source Root: HR001
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 1
Establishing a House Special Committee on Economic Development.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS economic development is of vital importance to the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS the legislature should remain well informed about the business climate of the state; and
WHEREAS the state must promote business opportunities within the state;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on Economic Development is established to study opportunities for future economic development of the state’s resources; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Economic Development may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR002
Resolve: HR002
Source Root: HR002
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 2
Establishing a House Special Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS world trade is of increasing importance to the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS legislation enacted by the federal government has far reaching impact on the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS there is renewed interest in the Congress of the United States in exploring the ramifications of federal legislation on the states and their economies; and
WHEREAS the legislature should take an active role in exploring opportunities to promote world trade and assist the Congress in understanding the effect of federal legislation on the state’s economy;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations is established to study issues relating to world trade and state/federal relations; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR003
Resolve: HR003
Source Root: HR003
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 3
Establishing a House Special Committee on International Trade and Tourism.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS international trade and tourism are of increasing importance to the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS the legislature should be well informed about developments in international trade and tourism in order to plan for the state's future; and
WHEREAS the state should promote tourism and enhance opportunities for visitors to experience the life and scenic grandeur of the state; and
WHEREAS the state should promote and facilitate the export of the products and services of the state;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on International Trade and Tourism is established to study issues relating to international trade and tourism; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on International Trade and Tourism may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR004
Resolve: HR004
Source Root: HR004
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 4
Establishing a House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS a large number of state residents currently serve in the military forces, work for the military, or are veterans, and the military plays a vital role in the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS there is a need for a comprehensive review of issues involving military and veterans' affairs;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs is established to study issues, review laws, and propose legislation relating to military and veterans' affairs; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR005
Resolve: HR005
Source Root: HR005
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 5
Establishing a House Special Committee on Oil and Gas.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS the state's dependence on oil revenue requires that the Alaska State Legislature be well informed on all aspects of the state's oil and gas resources;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on Oil and Gas is established to study issues relating to oil and gas resources in the state; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR006
Resolve: HR006
Source Root: HR006
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 6
Establishing a House Special Committee on Fisheries.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS fishing for personal use helps to define the Alaska lifestyle for many state residents; and
WHEREAS sport fishing plays a significant role in the state tourism industry; and
WHEREAS the commercial fishing industry is one of Alaska's largest renewable resource industries; and
WHEREAS Alaska's subsistence fisheries are an important use of our fisheries resources; and
WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature must be well informed on all issues related to the fisheries of Alaska;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on Fisheries is established to study fishery issues relevant to Alaska; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee, appoint the members, and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Fisheries may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
HR007
Resolve: HR007
Source Root: HR007
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HR 7
Establishing a House Special Committee on Telecommunications.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
WHEREAS telecommunications is of vital importance to the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS the legislature should remain well informed about the telecommunications industry of the state; and
WHEREAS the state must promote the efficient and orderly development of telecommunications within the state;
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives that a House Special Committee on Telecommunications is established to study telecommunications in the state and opportunities for the future development of telecommunications in the state; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the speaker of the House of Representatives shall determine the number of representatives to be members of the committee and shall appoint the members and designate a member to chair the committee; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Telecommunications may meet during and between sessions of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature and is terminated on the convening of the First Session of the Twenty-First Alaska State Legislature.
LR001
Resolve: LR001
Source Root: HCR005
Year: 1997
Source Bill: HCR 5
Authorizing a recess by the Senate and the House of Representatives for a period of more than three days.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS art. II, sec. 10, Constitution of the State of Alaska, provides that neither house may adjourn or recess for longer than three days unless the other house concurs; and
WHEREAS Rule 52, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, provides that adoption of a concurrent resolution by a majority vote of the full membership of each house constitutes concurrence;
BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Senate and the House of Representatives may be in recess during January 17, 18, 19, and 20 of 1997 and that each house concurs in this four-day recess by the other.
LR002
Resolve: LR002
Source Root: HCR001
Year: 1997
Source Bill: CSHCR 1 (WTR)
Relating to a new Alaska liquefied natural gas project.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS there are abundant, known natural gas resources on Alaska's North Slope with the Prudhoe Bay field containing about 26 trillion standard cubic feet, the Point Thompson field estimated at three to five trillion standard cubic feet, and, perhaps, two to six trillion standard cubic feet at the Kuparuk, Lisburne, and Endicott fields considered together; and
WHEREAS, particularly with the Prudhoe Bay field, natural gas coexists and is produced with marketable oil and, lacking a market for much of the gas, it has been returned to the reservoir where it provides for enhanced long-term oil production and is saved for future gas sales; and
WHEREAS the major Prudhoe Bay leaseholders and others have pursued a costly variety of options for future gas sales, each driven by a perception of market potential; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivered to Asian markets has emerged as an option of substantial interest, but given strong international competition to supply the Asian LNG market, it is clear that prudent sponsors and investors will require that a new Alaska LNG project show economic viability with competitively, not premium, priced LNG; and
WHEREAS the LNG market is a unique commodity business because there is no global spot market for LNG as there is with oil; hence, development of an LNG project requires substantial dedicated investment for the production, transportation, and use of the gas to be produced; and
WHEREAS, to make investment in a new Alaska LNG project viable, gas owners, facility owners, gas buyers, host governments, financial institutions, and other participants must contractually join to form a long-term (20 to 30 year) business structure to ensure a reliable competitively priced gas supply results from the project and to realize a competitive return on project investment; and
WHEREAS substantial additional facilities will be required for the development of Alaska's North Slope gas resources for delivery to the Asian market, including a gas conditioning plant on the North Slope to produce pipeline quality gas while appropriately handling rejected carbon dioxide, a gas transmission pipeline to tidewater from the conditioning plant, an LNG production plant and storage facility at tidewater, a marine terminal, LNG oceangoing tankers, and miscellaneous supporting infrastructure; and
WHEREAS the current estimated cost of facilities needed for a new Alaska LNG project is about $15,000,000,000, with a range of uncertainty around this estimate, and not included in this estimate are the substantial investments required of the gas buyers for LNG receiving terminals, gas transmission and distribution systems, and gas-fired electrical power plants; and
WHEREAS, due to the significant up-front investment, a new Alaska LNG project will require a fast ramp-up to a minimum production level of approximately two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, or 14 million tons per annum, of LNG, which represents a significant share of the anticipated growth in demand in the Asian market; and
WHEREAS, following the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay field, changes in legislation or interpretations of legislation by state agencies have resulted in unpredicted state tax increases and in litigation between the state and the petroleum industry over state taxes and royalties to be paid for oil and gas; and
WHEREAS any major new commitment such as would be required for a new Alaska LNG project must, by necessity, be backed by a long-term, stable, and appropriate fiscal regime consistent with the long-term agreements established between LNG buyers and sellers; and
WHEREAS the state historically has enacted legislation allowing the state to contractually grant fiscal relief to attract new industry, a notable example being the Marathon/Phillips Kenai LNG plant; and
WHEREAS other host governments of competing LNG projects have encouraged their projects by providing stable fiscal terms for the lives of the projects, fiscal relief, and direct financial participation; and
WHEREAS the Department of Revenue and Department of Natural Resources have studies showing under realistic assumptions that a new Alaska LNG project is not economically attractive for investment at this time, and that, for the project to become attractive for investment, requirements include increased certainty about market price and demand, definition of what is likely to be a complex business structure, substantial reduction in and narrowing of uncertainty about facility capital costs, and appropriate stable fiscal terms from the state; and
WHEREAS an important potential benefit of an LNG project is the employment of Alaska residents and Alaska-based businesses in the construction and operation of the project, but, in order to assist in achieving a commercially viable project, there will be a need for competitively priced goods and services; and
WHEREAS access to natural gas for local Alaska community use may be provided by an LNG project, an additional public benefit; and
WHEREAS the major Prudhoe Bay leaseholders plan to focus on reflecting market needs in the design and structure of an LNG project, will continue their already substantial efforts to reduce the range of cost uncertainty and identify further cost reductions for the project, and plan to develop possible project structure alternatives; and
WHEREAS the Nineteenth Alaska State Legislature passed House Joint Resolution 54 in support of an LNG project;
BE IT RESOLVED that it is the wish of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature that the state provide a stable and appropriate fiscal and regulatory environment to give a new Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project the best opportunity to become economically attractive, and it is the intention of the legislature to support efforts to provide such an environment; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes that a window of opportunity now exists and encourages the Governor to work with leaseholders of North Slope natural gas resources, the legislature, and the federal government to develop and complete an LNG project to transport and market North Slope natural gas by the year 2005; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor to identify fiscal conditions that would best facilitate an LNG project; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor to develop with the leaseholders of the North Slope gas resources a contract for execution with the parties that appear likely to be sponsors of an LNG project that sets out the nature, degree, and duration of the fiscal terms that best facilitate the LNG project and provides for the contractual guaranteeing of those terms; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is respectfully requested to submit an LNG project contract to the legislature for ratification along with enabling legislation required or advisable to authorize the state to formally enter into the contract; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests potential project sponsors to find suitable measures to
(1) support and encourage qualified Alaska businesses and residents to participate in construction and operation of an LNG project; and
(2) ensure that, if the project is constructed, it will be configured and operated where technically and economically feasible so that natural gas can be marketed to Alaska communities; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is respectfully requested to work closely with the Alaska Congressional delegation and the Prudhoe Bay leaseholders to identify appropriate federal actions that would best facilitate the advancement of an economically attractive new Alaska LNG project; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is respectfully requested to consider and to report to the legislature the form of participation in an LNG project by the state.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
LR003
Resolve: LR003
Source Root: SJR009
Year: 1997
Source Bill: SJR 9 am
Urging the United States Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, to oil and gas exploration, development, and production.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS, in sec. 1002 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), the United States Congress reserved the right to permit further oil and gas exploration, development, and production within the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska; and
WHEREAS the oil industry, the state, and the United States Department of the Interior consider the coastal plain to have the highest potential for discovery of very large oil and gas accumulations on the continent of North America, estimated to be as much as 10,000,000,000 barrels of recoverable oil; and
WHEREAS the residents of the North Slope Borough, within which the coastal plain is located, are supportive of development in the "1002 study area"; and
WHEREAS oil and gas exploration and development of the coastal plain of the refuge and adjacent land could result in major discoveries that would reduce our nation's future need for imported oil, help balance the nation's trade deficit, and significantly increase the nation's security; and
WHEREAS demand for oil consumed in the United States rose by 2.5 percent in the past year and domestic crude production continued to fall to 6,460,000 barrels per day; consequently, the percentage of oil imported from foreign sources increased to more than 52 percent, and the price of imported oil increased over 35 percent in the year; and
WHEREAS development of oil at Prudhoe Bay, Kuparuk, Endicott, Lisburne, and Milne Point has resulted in thousands of jobs throughout the United States, and projected job creation as a result of coastal plain oil development will have a positive effect in all 50 states; and
WHEREAS Prudhoe Bay production is declining by approximately 10 percent a year; and
WHEREAS, while new oil field developments on the North Slope of Alaska, such as Alpine, Badami, and West Sak, may slow or temporarily stop the decline in production, only giant coastal plain fields have the theoretical capability of increasing the production volume of Alaska oil to a significant degree; and
WHEREAS opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge now allows sufficient time for planning environmental safeguards, development, and national security review; and
WHEREAS the oil and gas industry and related state employment have been severely affected by reduced oil and gas activity, and the reduction in industry investment and employment has broad implications for the state's work force and the entire state economy; and
WHEREAS the 1,500,000-acre coastal plain of the refuge comprises only eight percent of the 19,000,000-acre refuge, and the development of the oil and gas reserves in the refuge's coastal plain would affect an area of only 2,000 to 7,000 acres, which is less than one-half of one percent of the area of the coastal plain; and
WHEREAS 8,000,000 of the 19,000,000 acres of the refuge have already been set aside as wilderness; and
WHEREAS the oil industry has shown at Prudhoe Bay, as well as at other locations along the Arctic coastal plain, that it can safely conduct oil and gas activity without adversely affecting the environment or wildlife populations; and
WHEREAS the oil industry is using innovative technology and environmental practices in the new field developments at Alpine and North Star, and those techniques are directly applicable to operating on the coastal plain and would enhance environmental protection beyond traditionally high standards; and
WHEREAS the state will ensure the continued health and productivity of the Porcupine Caribou herd and the protection of land, water, and wildlife resources during the exploration and development of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge;
BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Congress of the United States is urged to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, to oil and gas exploration, development, and production; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that that activity be conducted in a manner that protects the environment and uses the state's work force to the maximum extent possible.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress; and to all other members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives serving in the 105th United States Congress.
LR004
Resolve: LR004
Source Root: SJR005
Year: 1997
Source Bill: SJR 5
Authorizing a recess by the Senate and the House of Representatives for a period of more than three days.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS art. II, sec. 10, Constitution of the State of Alaska, provides that neither house may adjourn or recess for longer than three days unless the other house concurs; and
WHEREAS Rule 52, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, provides that adoption of a concurrent resolution by a majority vote of the full membership of each house constitutes concurrence;
BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Senate and the House of Representatives may be in recess during February 28, March 1, 2, 3, and 4 of 1997 and that each house concurs in this five-day recess by the other.
LR005
Resolve: LR005
Source Root: HJR012
Year: 1997
Source Bill: SCS HJR 12 (RES)
Urging the Secretary of the Interior to conduct competitive oil and gas lease sales within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS, in 1923, President Warren G. Harding issued an Executive Order establishing Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 on the North Slope of Alaska to provide a potential supply of oil for the United States Navy; and
WHEREAS the Reserve encompasses 23,500,000 acres, with boundaries extending due south from Icy Cape to the drainage divide of the Brooks Range, then following the divide eastward to 156 degrees west longitude, then north to the Colville River, and following the Colville River downstream to its mouth; and
WHEREAS, between 1944 and 1976, the United States Navy drilled 45 shallow core-test holes and 43 test wells and acquired nearly 11,100 line miles of seismic reflection data, nearly 400 seismic reaction profiles, gravity data from more than 36,000 stations, and 12,000 flight line miles of seromagnetic data; and
WHEREAS the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, P.L. 94-258, 90 Stat. 303, 42 U.S.C. 6501 et seq., redesignated Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 as the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and transferred responsibility for its administration to the Secretary of the Interior; and
WHEREAS, between 1975 and 1982, the United States Geological Survey drilled 28 wells and acquired some 5,700 line miles of seismic survey and gravity data from more than 27,000 stations, which established several areas of oil and gas potential; and
WHEREAS discovery well Walakpa 1 showed a potentially economic gas reservoir, which was confirmed by Walakpa 2; and
WHEREAS an amendment to the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act made by the FY 1981 Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, P.L. 96-514, Title I, 94 Stat. 2964, directed the Secretary of the Interior to develop a fast-track oil and gas development initiative intended to lease up to 2,000,000 acres of the Reserve for oil and gas exploration; and
WHEREAS, under the 1981 authorization, between 1982 and 1984, the Department of the Interior conducted four competitive lease sales, receiving $119,000,000 in bonus bids; and
WHEREAS the recently announced development of the Alpine oil and gas field in the Colville River Delta and potentially extending under the eastern extremities of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska has generated renewed interest in competitive oil and gas leasing in the Reserve; and
WHEREAS, since the last lease sale in the Reserve, significant progress has been made in the areas of seismic sequence analysis, amplitude analysis, geological modeling, and directional and long-reach drilling, and information has become available to potential bidders that supports the belief that the Reserve could contain economic quantities of oil and gas; and
WHEREAS bonus bids received from competitive oil and gas lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and royalties generated from oil and gas production in it would be shared equally by the United States and the State of Alaska through prior agreement; and
WHEREAS, during the last two decades of oil production on the North Slope of Alaska, the industry has developed state-of-the-art technology that has demonstrated environmentally safe production with a minimum of adverse impact; and
WHEREAS exploration and development will be conducted in a manner consistent with the state's ongoing commitment to protecting the environment and utilizing its work force to the maximum extent possible; and
WHEREAS, the application of this advanced technology in the Reserve affords the opportunity to further demonstrate that oil exploration and production are being done in an environmentally sensitive manner; and
WHEREAS oil production from Alaska's North Slope is declining; and
WHEREAS more than half of the oil consumed each day in the United States is imported from foreign countries; and
WHEREAS the discovery and development of commercial quantities of oil in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska would enhance domestic energy security and reduce dependence on foreign oil;
BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Secretary of the Interior is urged to take immediate action to conduct competitive oil and gas lease sales within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to allow for exploration and development of oil and gas resources; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that this statement of support for reestablishing competitive oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska does not in any way diminish the legislature's continued strong support for opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, including the special study area identified in sec. 1002 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, P.L. 96-487, 94 Stat. 2371, to oil and gas exploration, development, and production.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior; to Deborah Williams, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for Alaska; to Cynthia Quarterman, Director of the Minerals Management Service; to Rance Wall, acting Alaska Regional Director of the Minerals Management Service; to Brooks Yeager, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of the Interior; to Tom Allen, Alaska State Director, Bureau of Land Management; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.
LR006
Resolve: LR006
Source Root: SCR004
Year: 1997
Source Bill: SCR 4
Relating to declaring March 1997 as Sobriety Awareness Month.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS it is the policy of the State of Alaska, underAS 47.37.010 , "to recognize, appreciate, and reinforce the example set by its citizens who lead, believe in, and support a life of sobriety"; and
WHEREAS sobriety has been defined to mean "a positive, healthy, and productive way of life, free from the devastating effects of alcohol and drugs" by more than 50 profit and nonprofit organizations, community groups, and student governments throughout the state; and
WHEREAS these organizations, community groups, and student governments constitute what is commonly referred to as a growing "sobriety movement"; and
WHEREAS the "sobriety movement" is interpreted as "The collective effort on the part of individuals, families and communities, and public and private agencies, affected by, concerned with, and working toward the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, who by example encourage and support others in leading a life of sobriety"; and
WHEREAS the practice and benefits of leading a life of sobriety to Alaska's citizens are threefold:
(1) improvement in the quality of life and health of individuals, families, and communities;
(2) reduction in the incidence of alcohol and drug related crimes;
(3) reduction in the burden on government by not having to exhaust its resources to pay for the pervasive problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse; and
WHEREAS March has been designated "Sobriety Awareness Month" by the Alaska State Legislature and Governor Knowles every year since 1995 to recognize, appreciate, and reinforce the example set by citizens who lead, believe in, and support a life of sobriety;
BE IT RESOLVED that the month of March 1997 should be proclaimed as Sobriety Awareness Month; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that Governor Tony Knowles proclaim the same and have copies of the proclamation sent to all the respective departments and departmental agencies within the administration that fund or have contact with youth, schools, family services, or provide rehabilitation or correctional services; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that all Alaska citizens who lead, believe in, or support a life of sobriety indicate so by wearing a white ribbon of their choosing so that they may be readily recognized and appreciated during Sobriety Awareness Month 1997.
LR007
Resolve: LR007
Source Root: SJR007
Year: 1997
Source Bill: SJR 7
Supporting continued funding of the Alaska National Guard Youth Corps Challenge Program.
_______________
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS the Alaska National Guard Youth Corps Challenge Program has provided nearly three hundred 16 to 18 year old graduates of the program with critically needed academic, vocational, and life skills education and training; and
WHEREAS the Challenge Program, through its military discipline and structure, has instilled in its graduates self-confidence, self-esteem, and good citizenship skills; and
WHEREAS the Challenge Program provides Alaska's at-risk youth with an opportunity to become successful, productive citizens of the state and the nation; and
WHEREAS the Challenge Program is an important crime and poverty prevention program worthy of continued support by the government of the United States; and
WHEREAS 85 percent of the graduates of the Challenge Program are either employed or in school; and
WHEREAS federal funding for the Challenge Program is scheduled to end in September 1997;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports continued funding for the Alaska National Guard Youth Corps Challenge Program; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Congress to continue funding for the Alaska National Guard Youth Corps Challenge Program and urges the President of the United States to support the funding.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; to the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.