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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

LR008

Resolve: LR008

Source Root: SJR012

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SJR 12 am

Relating to reconstruction and paving of the Alaska Highway.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the United States and Canada entered into an agreement to reconstruct and pave the Alaska Highway from the Alaska-Canada border to Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada, and the Haines Cutoff Highway from Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada, to the Alaska-Canada border near Haines, Alaska, known as the Shakwak project, as authorized in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS the Congress authorized $59,000,000 in 1973 for the project and has appropriated $47,000,000 to the Federal Highway Administration for actual construction by Canada; and

WHEREAS the Congress further authorized $20,000,000 a year for fiscal years 1993 - 1996 under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which has been fully appropriated; and

WHEREAS, in the last 16 years, the state has provided $37,000,000 of state federal-aid highway apportionments to assist in meeting the obligations of the agreement; and

WHEREAS the estimated amount necessary to complete the entire project was in the order of $260,000,000 in United States dollars;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the United States government and the Canadian government to honor their agreement and provide the additional funds necessary through direct federal appropriations, independent of the federal funds apportioned to Alaska by the Federal Highway Administration, to complete the remaining portions of the Shakwak project; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Congress is respectfully requested to immediately appropriate an additional $94,000,000 to allow work on additional project segments to proceed to a bituminous surface treatment standard.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Right Honourable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada; the Honourable Diane Marleau, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Canada; the Honourable Audrey McLaughlin, Member of Parliament, House of Commons, Canada; the Honourable Piers McDonald, Government Leader, Yukon Territory, Canada; the Honourable Robert Bruce, Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Yukon Territory, Canada; the Honourable Dave Keenan, Minister of Community and Transportation Services, Yukon Territory, Canada; 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 Rodney E. Slater, Secretary-designee of the U.S. Department of Transportation; 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.

LR009

Resolve: LR009

Source Root: SCR003

Year: 1997

Source Bill: CSSCR 3 (RES) am H

Urging the Attorney General of the State of Alaska to use every appropriate resource and due diligence to defend the state's interests in the civil action filed against the state challenging the 1996 revisions of the Northstar unit leases, and respectfully requesting the Superior Court of the State of Alaska to give expeditious consideration to the matter.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS a majority of Alaskans support safe and responsible oil development in the state and the jobs it creates for Alaskans; and

WHEREAS development of other oil fields in Alaska has resulted in thousands of jobs throughout this state and the United States; and

WHEREAS Prudhoe Bay production is declining by approximately 10 percent a year; and

WHEREAS Alaskans recognize that oil production from the North Slope is declining and new development is needed to create new jobs in the state and to bring additional revenue to the state; and

WHEREAS the commissioner of natural resources negotiated revisions to existing Northstar unit leases between the state and BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc.; the lease revisions have the effect of expediting the development of the Northstar field and ensure oil production under a new payment system; and

WHEREAS, last year, the legislature overwhelmingly approved legislation, ch. 139, SLA 1996, authorizing the commissioner of natural resources to revise the Northstar unit oil and gas leases; and

WHEREAS the legislature and British Petroleum, the lessee's parent company, have acknowledged the importance of a strong commitment to Alaska-hire, Alaska-build, and Alaska- buy in the development of the Northstar field; and

WHEREAS British Petroleum, honoring its voluntary commitments, has already hired many residents and companies holding state business licenses; and

WHEREAS a civil action was recently filed in the superior court challenging the 1996 revisions of the Northstar unit leases; and

WHEREAS, in response to dislocations arising from the filing of the court challenge, the Attorney General has publicly commented that the state has asked the court to expedite consideration and resolution of the litigation; and

WHEREAS the legislature recognizes the grave effects this challenge to the revisions of the Northstar leases are having on the development of the Northstar field and the potential effect this challenge may have on Alaska�s future resource development policy;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Attorney General of the State of Alaska to use every appropriate resource and due diligence to defend the state's interests in this civil action challenging the 1996 amendment of the Northstar unit leases; and

be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature respectfully requests the Superior Court in which this litigation is filed and scheduled for hearing to expedite consideration of the pending litigation.

LR010

Resolve: LR010

Source Root: SJR008

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SJR 8

Urging the United States Congress to give an affirmative expression of approval to a policy authorizing the state to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the export of unprocessed logs harvested from its land and from the land of its political subdivisions and the University of Alaska.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS Alaska had, by regulation, imposed a primary manufacturing requirement applicable to timber harvested from state-owned land that is destined for export from the state; and

WHEREAS that regulation was permissive, allowing the director of the division of land to require that primary manufacture of forest products be accomplished within the state; and

WHEREAS, considering the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, in Southcentral Timber Development, Inc. v. Wunnicke, 467 U.S. 82, 81 L.Ed.2d 71, 104 S.Ct. 2237 (1984), the United States Supreme Court determined that the state's regulation could not be given effect; while the court found evidence of a clearly defined federal policy imposing primary manufacture requirements as to timber taken from federal land in Alaska, it determined that the existing Congressional sanction reached only to activities on federal land and concluded that the state's assertion of Congressional authorization by silence to allow a state to regulate similar activities on nonfederal land could not be inferred; and

WHEREAS since the Wunnicke decision, the Congress has, in the Forest Resources Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990, extended an existing ban on unprocessed log exports from federal land in the 11 contiguous Western states to cover timber harvested from nonfederal sources in those states; the extension of the ban on unprocessed log exports in those states collectively does not affect Alaska; and

WHEREAS the principal purposes, stated or assumed, in the 1990 Congressional Act for extending the ban on unprocessed log exports in the contiguous Western states -- the efficient use and effective conservation of forests and forest resources, the avoidance of a shortfall in unprocessed timber in the marketplace, and concern for development of a rational log export policy as a national matter -- are equally valid with respect to the significant timber resources held by this state, its political subdivisions, and its public university; and

WHEREAS the state cannot act to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the export of unprocessed logs harvested from land of the state, its political subdivisions, and the University of Alaska without a legislative expression demonstrating Congressional intent that is unmistakably clear;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Alaska urges the United States Congress to give an affirmative expression of approval to a policy authorizing the state to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the export of unprocessed logs harvested from its land and from the land of its political subdivisions and the University of Alaska.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Tom Daschle, Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Dick Armey, Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Richard Gephardt, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; 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.

LR011

Resolve: LR011

Source Root: SJR013

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SJR 13

Relating to RS 2477 rights-of-way.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS Revised Statute 2477 (RS 2477) provided, "the right-of-way for the construction of highways over public lands, not reserved for public uses, is hereby granted"; and

WHEREAS the Congress repealed RS 2477 in 1976 in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, but the Act expressly reserved existing rights-of-way created under RS 2477; and

WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature funded a $1,200,000 project conducted by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to document the RS 2477 rights-of-way in Alaska; and

WHEREAS the project found more than 560 routes that qualified as RS 2477 rights-of- way; and

WHEREAS RS 2477 rights-of-way resulted from the public's use of routes to travel between settlements and to gain access to resource areas in the state from the late 1800's until 1976; and

WHEREAS it is in the best interests of the state to preserve this historical and traditional rural transportation system because these routes form the transportation network for surface travel between rural settlements, provide access to mineralized and other natural resource use areas, and create significant entrepreneurial, recreational, and tourism opportunities; and

WHEREAS Alaska is committed to a balanced philosophy of development and wise use of state resources; and

WHEREAS the surface transportation system in the state is inadequate to meet the economic and social demands of the state and its citizens; and

WHEREAS the United States Department of the Interior adopted regulations interpreting RS 2477 in 1938 stating that RS 2477 is "effective upon the construction or establishing of highways, in accordance with State laws, over public lands not reserved for public uses"; and

WHEREAS the interpretation of RS 2477 by the United States Department of the Interior remained unchanged until the repeal of the statute, when the regulations were also repealed; and

WHEREAS federal and state courts have consistently ruled for 100 years that it was the intent of the Congress in enacting RS 2477 that the law of the state where the RS 2477 right-of- way is located defines the acts that constitute acceptance and the scope of the right-of-way; and

WHEREAS the United States Department of the Interior is attempting to administratively rescind the longstanding and widely accepted interpretation of RS 2477 by adopting regulations that would reverse prior regulations and court-made law by forcing states and local governments to follow an excessively bureaucratic process, to undertake costly procedures, and to enter into extensive litigation that could severely restrict or eliminate many RS 2477 rights-of-way in Alaska; and

WHEREAS Alaska's congressional delegation successfully derailed implementation of Department of the Interior's regulations by inserting language prohibiting implementation in the fiscal year 1996 budget; and

WHEREAS fiscal year 1997 appropriations allow for the publication of regulations but specifically prohibit the regulations from taking effect unless "expressly authorized by an Act of Congress"; and

WHEREAS Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt issued a new policy on January 22, 1997, revoking a 1988 policy and establishing a new revised policy "for carrying out any determinations the Department might be called upon to make regarding RS 2477"; and

WHEREAS the new policy by Secretary Babbitt essentially requires that each RS 2477 right-of-way in Alaska be established through lengthy and costly litigation; and

WHEREAS Secretary Babbitt's new policy establishes new requirements essentially requiring the Department of the Interior's approval before RS 2477 rights-of-way assertions will be acceptable; and

WHEREAS Secretary Babbitt's new policy is designed to create a bureaucratic impediment to the State of Alaska's legitimate claims to RS 2477 rights-of-way; and

WHEREAS this new policy illustrates again the continuing and escalating "War on the West" being waged by Secretary Babbitt;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature endorses continuing efforts of the Alaska delegation in Congress to preserve and protect the original meaning of Revised Statute 2477 to provide adequate access to the state's land and resources and to provide Alaska the same privileges extended to every other state in the Union; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the members of the Alaska delegation in Congress to ensure that federal law recognizes the controlling nature of state law in regard to the construction and establishment of RS 2477 rights- of-way, as recognized by 100 years of judicial decisions and 38 years of Department of the Interior regulations by enacting such a provision into federal statutes; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Congress to include a reasonable period and a reasonable process for the assertion, recognition, and determination of RS 2477 rights-of-way as part of any legislation addressing RS 2477 rights- of-way; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests that Governor Tony Knowles direct the appropriate state departments to implement a proactive and aggressive program to assert the state's ownership of RS 2477 rights-of-way.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Tony Knowles, Governor of Alaska; 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.

LR012

Resolve: LR012

Source Root: HJR024

Year: 1997

Source Bill: CSHJR 24 (RES)

Relating to challenging the environmental and economic integrity of Alaska timber as Christmas decor for the United States Capitol.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the Tongass National Forest has been chosen by the Clinton Administration to provide Christmas trees to decorate the nation's Capitol and congressional offices; and

WHEREAS the grace and beauty of Alaska's native tree species are well suited for such a distinct purpose; and

WHEREAS Alaskans are a generous people, and their State's resources a tremendous asset that if carefully managed by the people most closely affected can be the backbone of a strong economy; and

WHEREAS trees harvested for the economic benefit of the people of the Tongass are subject to full public comment and environmental review; and

WHEREAS, under normal conditions, the Alaska Legislature would regard the opportunity to provide federal offices with Christmas trees from our national forest as the highest compliment and honor; and

WHEREAS conditions are not normal, as one of Alaska's two pulp mills and the state's largest sawmill have shut down while Alaska's remaining pulp mill has announced it will close in March at a cost of thousands of jobs; and

WHEREAS, even with the recent signing of a three-year contract to supply wood to Southeast Alaska's two largest sawmills, consistent supply remains a concern for their continued existence; and

WHEREAS over 60 percent of Southeast Alaska's timber-related jobs have been eliminated since 1990; and

WHEREAS the Clinton Administration has ignored the efforts of the Alaska congressional delegation and the Alaska State Legislature to secure the livelihoods of the workers, their families, and the timber dependent communities of Southeast Alaska; and

WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature deems it inappropriate to harvest trees for decorative purposes, and ask Southeast Alaskans to incur the cost, while Southeast Alaska timber jobs are being extinguished, depressing the area's economy; and

WHEREAS what should be an honor is instead an affront as it carries the message that careful harvesting of our trees is acceptable to decorate the nation's Capitol and the halls of Congress, yet not acceptable to provide jobs for the people of Southeast Alaska;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes harvesting of Alaska's trees to provide pleasure for those far removed is symbolic of a failed national policy which has cost Southeast Alaska communities thousands of year-round, family supporting jobs and caused untold personal suffering; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska Legislature opposes the harvesting of Christmas trees for the nation's Capitol and other federal and congressional offices from the Tongass National Forest and urges that it not be done without full public comment and a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests the Clinton Administration to find another source for the 1998 White House Christmas tree festivities in light of the social and economic hardship forced upon the unemployed timber workers, their families, and the timber dependent communities of the Tongass.

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 Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Thomas Daschle, Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Dick Armey, Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; Secretary Dan Glickman, Department of Agriculture; Michael Dombeck, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service; Philip Janik, Regional Forester, Region X, U.S. Forest Service; 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.

LR013

Resolve: LR013

Source Root: HCR015

Year: 1997

Source Bill: HCR 15

Authorizing a recess by the Senate and the House of Representatives for a period of more than three days.

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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 March 28, 29, 30, and 31 of 1997 and that each house concurs in this four-day recess by the other.

LR014

Resolve: LR014

Source Root: HCR008

Year: 1997

Source Bill: HCR 8

Creating the Deferred Maintenance Task Force.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the maintenance costs for public facilities represent a significant expense of state government; and

WHEREAS a substantial amount of maintenance costs for public facilities have been deferred from previous years; and

WHEREAS these deferred maintenance costs should be addressed in a comprehensive manner that gives due regard both to the importance of preserving the value of the facilities with proper maintenance and to the restricted availability of funds to meet maintenance needs;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature establishes the Deferred Maintenance Task Force to make recommendations to the Governor and the legislature on how to address the deferred maintenance needs of public facilities, including transportation facilities, educational facilities, and the other types of public facilities described and defined inAS 44.42.055 ; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of the following ten voting members:

(1) five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; at least one member shall be a member of the majority and at least one a member of the minority; and

(2) five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; at least one member shall be a member of the majority and at least one a member of the minority; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force includes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate as nonvoting members; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall select a chair and vice-chair from among its members, shall meet as frequently as the task force determines necessary to perform its work, may meet during the interim, and may meet and vote by teleconference; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall

(1) review and evaluate state policy and strategy recommendations and assumptions from reports and publications from similar efforts in the past made by the executive branch, the legislative branch, and other public and private individuals and organizations;

(2) identify and evaluate all current and deferred maintenance needs for public facilities, including their location, estimated costs, and the priority with which they should be addressed; the task force shall coordinate with the University of Alaska, the principal state departments, municipalities, the office of management and budget, and other affected entities in order to ensure that the task force's work is as comprehensive and complete as possible;

(3) disseminate information and solicit public comment about its subject of consideration;

(4) submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the legislature by the convening of the Second Regular Session of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature concerning the current scope of deferred maintenance for public facilities and, to the extent necessary, a plan for funding the expenses of the deferred maintenance needs identified by the task force; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may begin work immediately upon the appointment of its full membership and is terminated upon the convening of the Second Regular Session of the Twentieth Alaska State Legislature.

LR015

Resolve: LR015

Source Root: SJR022

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SJR 22 am H

Inviting the United States Department of Defense to select Alaska as the site to base and train military troops.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the nation's military strategy has shifted from its focus during the Cold War on deterrence and containment to support for the nation's new policies of global leadership in preventive diplomacy and promotion of democratic values; and

WHEREAS our armed forces, in the face of budget and force reductions and increasingly limited resources, are now called upon to conduct operations ranging from enforcing peace to preventing conflict and providing humanitarian assistance, while at all times remaining fully trained and prepared to accomplish their ultimate mission: to fight our nation's wars and win; and

WHEREAS the United States Department of Defense is now conducting its quadrennial review to evaluate the roles, missions, force structure, and base structure required to meet the challenges of the changing world situation; and

WHEREAS Alaska's military bases offer the armed forces an unmatched military value as a global power projection platform, as well as incomparable joint training areas that combine world class airspace and air-to-surface target ranges with state-of-the-art electronic arrays and capabilities and a wide range of terrain that is similar to the terrain of many worldwide contingency operations areas; and

WHEREAS the State of Alaska and its citizens have always extended a warm welcome to members of the armed forces and their families and supported them with state and local programs and educational opportunities that recognize the contributions that members of the armed forces and their families have made to our nation as well as to our local communities;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature invites the United States Department of Defense to make use of Alaska's unique qualities and capabilities by selecting military areas of operation within the state as the site to base and train the full spectrum force our nation now requires to successfully deploy and conduct both joint and combined operations in environments around the world.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; to the Honorable Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable William S. Cohen, Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary of the Army; the Honorable John H. Dalton, Secretary of the Navy; the Honorable Sheila E. Widnall, Secretary of the Air Force; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Floyd D. Spence, Chairman of the National Security Committee 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.

LR016

Resolve: LR016

Source Root: SJR024

Year: 1997

Source Bill: CSSJR 24 (RES)

Relating to the Tongass Land Management Plan and to continued Congressional oversight of that plan.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS employment and economic prosperity in Southeast Alaska are inextricably linked to the resources of the Tongass National Forest and are dependent on the management of those resources; and

WHEREAS jobs in the forest products industry are an important element of the economic diversity of Southeast Alaska and should provide an opportunity in the region for communities to maintain healthy economies; and

WHEREAS approximately 60 percent of timber industry jobs have been lost since passage of the Tongass Timber Reform Act of 1990; and

WHEREAS the establishment of a value-added forest products industry in Southeast Alaska can occur only as a segment of a fully integrated forest products industry capable of the harvesting, transporting, and primary processing of raw forest products into a form usable by the value-added sector of the industry; and

WHEREAS the Alaska Congressional delegation has consistently supported the historic sustainable harvest levels from the Tongass National Forest that are of vital importance to all Southeast Alaska communities and continues to work for the restoration of the socioeconomic vitality of communities devastated by the failure of the federal government to meet contractual and Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) commitments; and

WHEREAS the Governor's Timber Task Force has determined that an annual harvest of 300 MMBF is the minimum level necessary to sustain an integrated timber industry in Southeast Alaska; and

WHEREAS the draft TLMP Environmental Impact Statement indicates no viability problem for any species of wildlife or fish on the Tongass National Forest under any of the proposed plan alternatives for at least the next 10 - 15 year planning cycle; and

WHEREAS the United States Forest Service testified before oversight hearings held by Senator Murkowski last summer that the draft TLMP was based on the best science available and indicated no current viability problem for any species of fish or wildlife on the Tongass National Forest; and

WHEREAS the United States Forest Service's wildlife conservation model is based on inadequate data and science extrapolated from models developed for use with South Seas Islands species; and

WHEREAS the lack of any near-term viability crisis for any species of fish or wildlife on the Tongass National Forest provides the opportunity for maintaining a steady course while the necessary Tongass-based science on which to base a long-term conservation strategy is developed; and

WHEREAS, after 10 years of data gathering, analysis, and planning by the United States Forest Service, the people of Southeast Alaska are still burdened by the uncertainty of a stable, reliable timber supply; and

WHEREAS adoption of a final TLMP alternative incapable of providing for a minimum 300 MMBF harvest level will almost certainly cause substantial additional job loss and economic dislocation in the communities of Southeast Alaska that are dependent on a stable supply of timber for all or part of their economic well-being;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the efforts of the Alaska Congressional delegation, in its oversight responsibilities, to ensure that the Tongass National Forest restores and continues to provide for the socioeconomic vitality of the communities of Southeast Alaska; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports, at a minimum, the recommendation of the Governor's Timber Task Force that the United States Forest Service make available an annual amount of at least 300 MMBF of timber that is economical to harvest from the Tongass National Forest with offerings uniformly released throughout each fiscal year, because any record of decision that further reduces the harvest level in the Tongass below that volume will continue the devastation of the existing timber industry infrastructure throughout Southeast Alaska and preclude the reestablishment of an integrated forest products industry in Southeast Alaska; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature strongly objects to any Tongass Land Management Plan revision that would prevent the United States Forest Service from making available an annual amount of 300 MMBF of timber that is economical to harvest from the Tongass National Forest and urges that a Tongass Land Management Plan Record of Decision allowing for such an offering level be issued without further delay; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports continued Congressional oversight and review of the adequacy of the science, social and economic analysis, and process employed by the United States Forest Service in order to ensure that any decisions by the United States Forest Service are not detrimental to the social and economic well-being of the communities and people of Southeast Alaska and that all decisions are scientifically credible and legally defensible.

LR017

Resolve: LR017

Source Root: Source Root: SCR008

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SCR 8

Relating to the twenty-ninth annual Girls' State.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the twenty-ninth annual Girls' State will be held June 8 - 15, 1997, at Camp Challenge near Palmer under the sponsorship of the American Legion Auxiliary and cooperating organizations; and

WHEREAS this outstanding annual program of the American Legion Auxiliary ranks high among the efforts of several Alaska organizations to bring to the youth delegates an awareness of their future roles in state and local government; and

WHEREAS this week-long youth citizen exercise of Girls' State is made possible by an admirable combination of volunteer service and the free enterprise of generous people and organizations without placing a financial burden on government or on the taxpayer; and

WHEREAS it is consistent with these standards for the legislature to encourage state and local legislators and other public officials and agencies to volunteer their services and provide copies of state publications and materials that form an important part of the program;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature salutes the sponsors of and participants in the twenty-ninth annual Girls' State program, commends those government officials and agencies and private individuals and organizations who support and participate in this exercise in youth citizenship, and pledges to continue to provide legislative materials, advice, and encouragement to the Girls' State program as it does to similar worthy civic efforts.

LR018

Resolve: LR018

Source Root: SCR007

Year: 1997

Source Bill: SCR 7

Relating to the thirty-first annual Boys' State.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the thirty-first annual Boys' State will be held June 21 - 28, 1997, at Camp Challenge near Palmer under the sponsorship of the American Legion and cooperating organizations; and

WHEREAS this outstanding annual program is dedicated to increasing the delegates' awareness of their future roles in state and local government as well as promoting interest and knowledge about the operation of our system of government; and

WHEREAS it is only through an admirable combination of volunteer effort and the enterprising talents of generous individuals who do not receive government or taxpayer monetary support that this week-long youth citizenship exercise known as Boys' State takes place; and

WHEREAS the legislature encourages state and local legislators and other public officials and agencies to volunteer their services and to provide copies of state publications and materials related to the program;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature applauds the sponsors of and participants in the thirty-first annual Boys' State program, commends those government officials and agencies and private individuals and organizations who support and participate in this exercise in youth citizenship, and promises to continue to provide legislative materials, advice, and encouragement to the Boys' State program as it does to similar worthy civic efforts.

LR019

Resolve: LR019

Source Root: SJR020

Year: 1997

Source Bill: CSSJR 20 (RLS) am H

Requesting the United States Congress to accommodate Alaska's unique wetlands circumstances by amending the Clean Water Act to modify the wetlands regulatory program and to recognize Alaska's outstanding history of wetlands conservation.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS, in 1972, the federal Clean Water Act allowed a broad expansion of federal jurisdiction over wetlands by modifying the definition of navigable waters to include all waters of the United States; and

WHEREAS, in 1975, the United States Army Corps of Engineers expanded wetlands regulations to include restricted discharge of dredged and fill material into wetlands; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has proposed to phase out its Nationwide Permit 26 (NWP 26) that allows developers to fill wetlands from one to 10 acres without gaining individual permit approval; and

WHEREAS this particular action may put a financial and logistical constraint on thousands of homeowners, businesses, and communities; and

WHEREAS Alaska contains more wetlands than all other states combined; and

WHEREAS approximately 99.5 percent of Alaska's original wetlands acreage remains today; and

WHEREAS most Alaska communities, including some 200 rural villages, are located in areas where wetlands are the dominant feature of the landscape; and

WHEREAS 88 percent of Alaska's wetlands are publicly owned; and

WHEREAS more than 60,000,000 acres of Alaska's wetlands are known to be conserved in some form of land designation, including federally designated wilderness land, federal park and refuge land, and state park and refuge land, that restricts use or degradation of wetlands;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the United States Congress to amend the federal Clean Water Act to modify the wetlands regulatory program to

(1) continue existing activities related to airport safety, logging, mining, ice pads, roads, and snow removal without the existing requirement that the activity be determined not to add to the "cumulative" loss of wetlands nationally;

(2) provide flexibility in Alaska wetlands permitting commensurate with the large amount of wetlands set aside in Alaska and the low historic rate of wetlands loss in Alaska;

(3) eliminate existing requirements in states with substantial conserved wetlands to mitigate unavoidable impacts or to prove no alternative sites are available; and

(4) require the United States Army Corps of Engineers to customize a permitting process for all lands in Alaska that does not include burdensome mitigation, avoidance, and other requirements applying nationally; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the United States Congress to recognize the unique contribution the citizens of Alaska have made to wetlands conservation and Alaska's outstanding record of wetlands conservation.

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 Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Thomas Daschle, Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Dick Armey, Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable John H. Chafee, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; 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.

LR020

Resolve: LR020

Source Root: HJR016

Year: 1997

Source Bill: HJR 16

Relating to a federal balanced budget amendment.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS it is in the national interest for the federal government to live within its means; and

WHEREAS eliminating the national deficit and controlling national government spending could be accomplished by the passage of a balanced budget amendment by the United States Congress and ratification of the amendment by the states of the Union;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Congress to pass, and the President to support, a resolution proposing an amendment to the United States Constitution that requires the balancing of the federal budget; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the legislature of each state of the nation to ratify a balanced budget amendment that is passed by the United States Congress.