Alaska Conservation Voters

Conservation Watch

Alaska Conservation Voters
works to protect Alaska's environment through public education and advocacy, and supports pro-conservation candidates for public office.

Conservation Watch (CW) is a weekly publication of ACV highlighting conservation issues in the AK Legislature.

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Contributing Editors

Suzanne Bostrom
Legislative & Communications Manager
suzanne@akvoice.org

David Rogers
ACV Lobbyist

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ACV- Juneau
419 6th Street, #321
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 463-3366
(907) 463-2554 fax

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ACV- Anchorage
810 N Street #203
Anchorage, AK 99801
(907) 258-6171
(907) 258-6177 fax

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Web Resources

ACV Legislation Page
Bill position papers, back issues of Conservation Watch, and legislative updates

Legislative BASIS
Current bill text, history & committee schedules

Legislature Homepage
Find Your Legislators, party links, committee lists

State Homepage
Links to state agencies and the Governor

 ACV Homepage

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“In a few short years, the Power Cost Equalization fund could be a thing of the past.”
--U.S. Senator Ted Stevens in his address to the State Legislature on March 19th, referring to the “innovative” and “proactive approach” of the State Legislature in looking to fund renewable energy projects (HB152 / SB96).

In This Issue

• You've Got the Power
• Action Briefs
  • On the Move
  • New in Town
• Hearings this Week

You've Got the Power

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again—ACV is energized about the potential for renewable energy in Alaska. The distinct “buzz” about renewable energy has continued to build outside of ACV as well. Governor Palin yet again talked up renewable energy while at the Matanuska Electrical Association’s annual membership meeting where she stated, “we need to seize this time to harness our energy resources, including renewable sources of energy” (see Alaska Star). Last week at the Joint House and Senate floor session, Senator Ted Stevens referred to the state legislature's work to fund renewable energy projects as “innovative” and “proactive.” On the national front, before the U.S. Senate passed a budget blueprint on March 23rd, Senator Lisa Murkowski won approval of a $125 million dollar boost for renewable energy funding specifically aimed at funding research for geothermal, hydroelectric and ocean technologies (see APRN).

Here in the State Legislature, HB152 and SB96, which would establish a renewable energy fund, have a growing list of bipartisan supporters signing on as cosponsors. At the latest count, the sponsors and co-sponsors included: Representatives Harris (R-Valdez), Thomas (R-Haines), Crawford (D-Anchorage), Gara (D-Anchorage), Salmon (D-Beaver), Johnson (R-Anchorage), Guttenberg (D-Fairbanks), Gardner (D-Anchorage), Nelson (D-Bethel), Edgmon (D-Dillingham), LeDoux (R-Kodiak), Dahlstrom (R-Anchorage), Kerttula (D-Juneau), and Wilson (R-Wrangell) as well as Senators Ellis (D-Anchorage), Stevens (R-Kodiak), Thomas (D-Fairbanks), French (D-Anchorage), Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), Davis (D-Anchorage), and Elton (D-Juneau).

A committee substitute for HB152 moved out of the House Community and Regional Affairs committee last week and is now awaiting a hearing in House Finance. As amended, it now creates separate grant and loan funds, both of which will be managed by the Alaska Energy Authority. The provision in the original version of the bill that projects seeking funding must provide at least 50 kilowatts or energy to at least 20 end users was removed to allow smaller projects to qualify for funding. Language was also added to ensure that the focus on renewable energy resources was maintained by specifying that support for natural gas projects could only be given if they serve fewer than 10,000 people and are located in a community where there are no other viable renewable energy resources for development. Although these changes help smooth the way for passage, the biggest challenge remains... securing an appropriation significant enough to launch the program.

While Alaska’s largest source of renewable power, hydroelectric, already accounts for around 24% of the total electrical energy produced in the state, there are many more untapped opportunities for communities to expand, establish and even export renewable energy resources. An Alaska Renewable Energy Fund could provide the push necessary to get new projects off the ground, deliver new sources of jobs, and place Alaska on the forefront of states that are developing their clean energy economies. As the poster state on climate change, developing alternative sources of fuel would place Alaska alongside other states working to find pro-active solutions to the challenges of climate change and fossil fuel dependence.

Alaska has massive amounts of renewable resources, including but not limited to the thousands of miles of coastline for wave and tidal power, geothermal hot-spots throughout the state, and biomass from fish oil and sawmills--to name just a few. Even along the Railbelt Intertie, there are rich options available for renewable power sources. The volcanic Mount Spurr, for example, lies only about 20 miles from the transmission infrastructure at Beluga. According to Chris Rose from the Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP), Mount Spurr has an estimated 50+ megawatts of geothermal power—enough to power 50,000 homes. Nearby, is Lake Chakachamna, a potential hydropower source, and Cook Inlet’s Forelands with good to excellent wind activity, thereby making the Mount Spurr region a potential “Eden” of renewable energy resources.

Alaska’s vast wind and geothermal resources could also make the state an exporter of energy in the form of hydrogen. New technologies are already being tested to find solutions to base load issues. Base load is the consistent power level that is needed to meet an energy provider’s typical daily demand. In Utsira, Norway, a small island with 240 residents, base-load technologies are being implemented to split hydrogen from water to store excess electricity from their two wind turbines. This technology allows the community to store the energy in the form of hydrogen for use when the wind stops, leaving no gaps in the wind-generated power supply. Hydrogen can also be used to run fuel cells to make electricity with no pollution and can be used in slightly modified internal combustion engines. Rep. Crawford’s bill, HB56, addresses these up-and-coming technologies by establishing a research program to develop a hydrogen fuel industry in Alaska.

ACV is eager to see the legislature move forward this session with efforts to establish a renewable energy fund and would like to thank all of the sponsors and co-sponsors that are working hard to make the fund a reality.

Speak Out!
So what can you do to make sure renewable energy gets a boost in Alaska? Lots! Here are some places to start:

1. If they are not already a sponsor, call, write or email your own legislators to encourage them to support HB152, SB96 and renewable energy projects in Alaska. To look up your legislator’s contact info, click here. If you aren’t sure who your legislators are, you can look them up by community here. Remember to say that you are a constituent! Your opinion really DOES matter to your legislators and can make a difference!
2. Send a letter or email to the committees that will be hearing HB152. The next committee of referral for HB152 is House Finance. To look up the names of the committee members in House Finance, click here. More information on how to address a letter to committee members and legislators can be found here.
3. Write a letter to the editor! LTE contacts and word limit requirements can be found here.
4. Thank Governor Palin, Ted Stevens, Lisa Murkowski and the sponsors and co-sponsors of HB152 and SB96 ( Reps. Harris, Thomas, Crawford, Gara, Salmon, Johnson, Guttenberg, Gardner, Nelson, Edgmon, LeDoux, Dahlstrom, Kerttula, Wilson and Senators Ellis, Stevens, Thomas, French, Wielechowski, Davis, and Elton) for their work to promote renewable energy in Alaska.

More Information

ACV’s Legislation Page on HB152 & Renewable Energy

ACV’s Overview of Renewable Energy, HB152 & SB96

Renewable Energy Alaska Project

Alaska Energy Authority’s “Renewable Energy Atlas of Alaska”

Previous Conservation Watch Articles: 1/26/07 - 3/10/06

On the Move

Transportation Update
On Wednesday, Governor Palin announced that she will be resurrecting the Marine Transportation Advisory Board and pledged that the board “won’t be ignored.” The board provides advice on how to manage and operate the Alaska Marine Highway System. While the board was previously in place, its members clashed with former ferry system manager Robin Taylor and was little used during the Murkowski administration. For more information on Governor Palin’s announcement, visit “Palin brings back ferry advisor panel” (Empire).We expect this board will be asked to help the Administration take a good, hard look at the marine highway system and options to improve services, including road connections. In other positive ferry news, the Senate Finance Committee's Transportation subcommittee moved forward on Thursday to reinstate $2 million to the Alaska Marine Highway System's FY '08 operating budget (see Senator Stevens' press release).

HB95 Operating Budget - Released by request of the Governor
The operating budget passed 29-10 in the House this week and has now moved over to the Senate for consideration. The operating budget approved spending $3.45 billion from state coffers, about $350 million over the current year’s budget. An additional $1.8 million was included to cover implementation of the new petroleum production tax and salaries for tax auditors, while another $1.3 million was included for work on Governor Palin’s gas line bill. For more information on the recent passage of the Operating Budget, visit “Operating Budget Headed for Senate” (AP).

HB128 Oil and Gas Production Tax: Expenditures - Rep. Olson (R-Soldotna)
HB128 was heard and held in House Resources this week. A subcommittee was appointed to address and resolve some of the issues with the bill. The measure would amend the state's new oil production tax to allow the Department of Revenue, in consultation with other state entities, to block oil companies from taking deductions and credits on costs associated with improper maintenance or lack of maintenance under the new Petroleum Production Tax.

HB164 Ocean Rangers & Reporting Vessel Location - House Transportation Committee
HB164 was heard and held in House Judiciary this week. HB164 proposes—at a cost of $800,000—to have marine engineers on board the ships only when they are in port. At the hearing, Representative Ramras (R-Fairbanks) introduced an amendment that would create the Alaska ocean protection and enhancement fund and the Alaska ocean protection and enhancement program. This program would provide grants to nonprofit corporations, municipalities, subsistence users, and other impacted entities for ocean cleanup and research programs. Rep. Ramras’ proposal is to retain in-port monitoring, but reinstate the remainder of the earmarked ocean ranger funds ($4 out of the $50 head tax) for ocean research, cleanup and education programs. The earmarked $4 of the tax would bring in an estimated $3.7 million. On Wednesday, Governor Palin also announced that the state is moving forward with plans to place Ocean Rangers on board cruise ships this season not just when they are in port, but when they are underway: “We want to make sure we have the ocean ranger program up and running to the greatest degree we can with the dollars afforded us. That doesn’t mean on shore, that means on the ships.” Palin also echoed the sentiments of Rep. Gatto (R-Palmer), a vocal critic of the changes to the initiative made in HB164: “If people were to accuse the public of not knowing what they were voting for with the cruise ship tax then perhaps they didn’t know whom they were voting for when they elected their representative to represent the will of the people.” On Thursday, a Senate budget subcommittee returned $2.5 million to the cruise ship pollution monitoring program, which was taken out of the House version of the operating budget, HB95 (See “Senate returns funding to ocean rangers” (ADN)). We expect discussions of this issue to continue to heat up. More information on the Ocean Ranger debate and Governor Palin’s comments can be found in “Palin administration to move ahead with ocean ranger program” (AP) and in “Cruise Ship Bill Under Fire” (Frontiersman).

HB175 Eminent Domain; Recreational Structures - Rep. Johnson (R-Anchorage)
A CS for HB175 was moved from House Judiciary this week. The CS added language to the definition of a “recreational structure” in order to clarify that the structure must be permanent (and cannot include temporary structures such as a tent). HB175 is a sequel to last year's controversial revision of eminent domain authorities. This proposal expands eminent domain protections that now apply only to personal residences to prohibit “takings” of an individual’s “recreational structure” (i.e., a seasonal recreational dwelling) for the purpose of developing recreational facilities.

HB177 / SB104 Natural Gas Pipeline Project - Released by request of the Governor
With lawmakers beginning to wrap up testimony from the administration and the oil and gas industry this week, we now anticipate that House Oil and Gas and Senate Resources (for SB104) will turn their attention to possible amendments. The chairmen of both committees, Rep. Kohring (R-Wasilla) and Sen. Huggins (R-Wasilla), recently indicated that they hope to complete the majority of their work on the bills before the Legislature goes on Easter break next Thursday. Upon their return, the aim is to move the bills to House Resources and Senate Judiciary. For more information on the discussions related to Gov. Palin’s Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) and possible amendments, visit the AP’s article “Lawmakers getting ready for gas line bill amendments.”AGIA defines the Governor's plan to encourage competition and "induce" potential pipeline builders and North Slope gas holders into building a natural gas pipeline that is in the best interest of Alaskans. North Slope producers have identified a number of concerns with the bill (see “Exxon, BP proposals frustrate legislators” (ADN)). For more information on the provisions of AGIA, visit Conservation Watch Issue 8 .

HB203 Kodiak Narrow Cape Public Use Area - Rep. LeDoux (R-Kodiak)
HB203 was heard and held in House Resources this week and has been scheduled for another hearing on Monday, April 2. This act would create the Kodiak Narrow Cape Public Use Area. The bill works to ensure that public access is maintained by setting up a public use area that would protect, maintain, perpetuate, and enhance year-round general public recreation and public enjoyment and use of fish and wildlife. The bill was introduced in response to concerns by some that public access to this special area might be restricted in the future as a result of competing interests.

HB219 Light Bulb Energy Use - Rep. Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks)
This act would require that light bulbs sold in the state for home or office use have an energy efficiency rating of more than 40 lumens for each watt. Lumens are a measure of how much light is produced by a bulb. The standard of 40 lumens is more than double the efficiency of standard incandescent bulbs and is well within the range of what fluorescent bulbs produce. If a light bulb that uses a home or office lighting socket type (as defined by the commissioner) does not meet this standard of efficiency, it may only be sold if the packaging clearly indicates that the light bulb is not intended for home or office use. As part of the measure, the commissioner would also need to determine standards of what constitutes home and office lighting, home and office lighting socket types, operating conditions and packaging requirements. According to Rep. Kawasaki’s press release on the bill, his aim is to help consumers to make more informed choices when purchasing light bulbs and “to let people know there’s an easy way to save energy.” The bill has been referred to House Labor and Commerce and House Finance. ACV applauds Rep. Kawasaki for his efforts to shed light on the simple changes Alaskans can make to increase their energy efficiency.

HB229 Kenai Gasification Project & Alaska Railroad Corporation - Rep. Chenault (R-Nikiski)
This act would authorize the Alaska Railroad Corporation to issue bonds to finance all or a portion of the Kenai gasification project. The Kenai gasification project involves bringing coal from Healy to North Kenai to a coal gasification plant and electrical generation plant that would be located on land adjacent to existing Agrium urea and ammonia plants.

Hearings this Week

Click on the date in the table below to get the most current schedule information for that day, or check the BASIS hearing schedule. Once a bill has been heard in a particular committee it may be brought up again without public notice or listing on the weekly committee schedule. You can click on a committee name to see a list of its members.