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

Sue Ely
Legislative & Communications Manager
sue@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 This Issue -

• And They're Off !
• Action Briefs
  • New in Town
  • Calendar - Week of 1-22-08
• 'Where Things Stand'

And They're Off!

Welcome to the Second Session of the 25th Legislature! Time flies and another session has begun. ACV is looking forward to proudly promoting sound environmental policy in the Halls of the Capitol.

During the first week in the capitol the mood was fairly serious and focused as Legislators hit the ground running in anticipation of a busy 90-day session. The Bi-Partisan Majority Working Group, led by Senator Lyda Green, is intact after the interim with a few big changes.  Senator John Cowdery stepped down as Rules Chair and will be replaced by Senator Gary Stevens.  Senator Johnny Ellis will replace Senator Stevens as the new Senate Majority Leader.

The new Rules Chairman warns that a 90-day session means that “a lot of legislation is going to flounder and not make it to the floor”. So, the conservation community has a lot of work to do to forward our Common Agenda in this short session. 

Our priorities include passing HB152, a bill that would create a Renewable Energy Fund, protecting salmon and other fish species by closing the Murkowski-endorsed loophole which allowed mixing zones in fish streams and making schools safer by limiting the use of pesticides and toxic chemicals in and around school facilities.  Mixing Zones will continue to be a challenge but new alliances are active. The kid’s health effort – new this session - has a long way to go. But it is time to start a broader conversation about avoidable toxic threats to our children. Renewable energy development is now a very popular theme in the Legislature and with the Governor who has made responsible renewable energy development a priority for this Administration. But the details are still in motion and not all the key parties have weighed in. We must keep the pressure on HB152, especially now that the Governor has put aside $250 million in her 2009 budget. The measure now sits in Senate Finance after making its way through three committees and the House Floor last session. Meanwhile, the Senate Resources Committee is in for extended gasline related hearings. As Chair Huggins puts it; "This year the focus will be gas pipeline, gas pipeline, gas pipeline”. Even gas taxes may be on the table one of these days but that is still under discussion. While the gas tax rate also was changed to 25% last year, according to a state spokesperson the intent was to defer detailed discussion until the gas line project was better defined.

New In Town - Here's a list of Bills of potential interest to the conservation community:

HB 267 Wildlife Violator Compact - Rep. Johnson (R-Anchorage)
This bill authorizes Alaska to join with 26 other states in entering into the Wildlife Violator Compact (WVC) and authorizes the compact to supersede existing statutes by approving standards, rules, or other actions under the terms of the compact.  It also allows the revocation of appropriate licenses in Alaska based on a resident licensee's violation of or failure to comply with the terms of a wildlife resource citation issued in another state that is a party to the compact. HB267 was referred to Resources and Finance. The first hearing occurred last week.  While it appeared to have good support in general, the bill was held over to address remaining questions and concerns of committee members.

HB 271 Flame Retardants and Toxic Chemicals - Rep. Doll (D-Juneau) | Rep. Gruenberg (D-Anchorage)
HB271 prevents anyone from manufacturing, selling, or distributing a product that contains more than 0.1 percent by mass of pentaBDE, octaBDE, or a combination of pentaBDE and octaBDE, known commonly as PBDEs. PBDEs have been shown to have negative health effects and are commonly found in many household products ranging from mattresses to television sets. Additionally, the bill allows the state to prohibit the use of other non-brominated flame retardants if they are found to be not safe for public health or environment. This bill was referred to the House Labor & Commerce Committee and the Health, Education and Social Services Committee.

HB 288 Net Energy Metering - Rep. Seaton (R-Homer)
Representative Seaton introduced HB288, a bill that requires electric utilities to offer customers the option of installing a net-metering system, in order to provide incentives for energy customers to generate their own electricity using alternative energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar, tidal, and geothermal.  Net-metering allows consumers to get a credit on their bill for the energy they create through alternative energy. HB288 was referred to Labor & Commerce and Finance.  ACV supports this legislation with an amendment to address rural utilities.

HB 294 Alaska Marine Highway Authority - Rep. Wilson (R-Wrangell) | Rep. LeDoux (R-Kodiak) | Rep. Seaton (R-Homer)
HB 294 establishes the Alaska Marine Highway Authority and transfers the operation, management, planning, construction and maintenance of Alaska’s marine highway system from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) to the newly created Alaska Marine Highway Authority. HB294 was referred to Transportation and Finance.

HB 298 Marine Highway Long Range Plan - Rep. Johansen (R-Ketchikan) | Rep. Wilson (R-Wrangell)
This bill seeks to create a long-range plan for the Alaska marine highway system, including a 14-year capital improvement plan for development and improvement. It received referrals to the Transportation and Finance Committees.

HB 302 Make Info About Mixing Zones Public - Rep. Seaton (R-Homer)
HB302 fits with our clean water for salmon priority.  The intent of the bill is to make sure Alaskans are informed of the location, type, duration, amount, nature and description of pollutants, contaminants, and waste discharged under permits into Alaska waters.  Exemptions include permits issued for streambed disturbance, water turbidity and private sewer systems. The information would be available on the internet.  Committee referrals included Resource and Finance. ACV supports this bill.

HB 308 Heating Assistance Program - Rep. Nelson (D-Bethel)
HB308 would create a heating assistance program under the Department of Health and Social Services.  This assistance program would be in addition to existing federal low-income heating and energy assistance and would provide greater eligibility for Alaskan residents for home heating assistance.  This bill was referred to House Community & Regional Affairs Committee and Finance Committee.

HB 330 Noxious Weeds and Invasive Plants - House Resources Committee
HB330 was introduced the other day to create a “Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Board” in order to limit economic loss and adverse effects to the state's agricultural, natural, and human resources.  It was referred to House Resources and Finance Committees.  ACV supports this bill and will work to broaden it in key areas.

SB 189 Approp.: Bridges, Service Roads and Trails - Sen Therriault (R-North Pole)
Senator Therriault introduced this bill to appropriate $25 million from the general fund to DOTPF for the design, planning and construction for repair of existing bridge infrastructure on the state highway system and $10 million for the construction of local service roads and trails.  SB 189 was referred to Transportation and Finance.

SB 214 Hunting by Members of the Military - Sen. Huggins (R-Wasilla)
SB 214 gives non-resident members of the military service and their dependents special exemptions for big game hunting. Resources is the only committee stop for this bill in the Senate.

SB 216 Purple Heart Trail - Sen. Ellis (D-Anchorage)
Designating the Alaska Highway and portion of the Richardson Highway as the Purple Heart Trail.  SB 216 was referred to the Transportation Committee.

SB 217 Energy Dividend: Increase 2007 PFD - Sen. Wagoner (R-Kenai)| Sen. Therriault (R-North Pole)
This bill would provide all Alaska Residents eligible for the 2007 PFD an additional $250 to offset high energy costs.  The bill was sent to the Senate Finance Committee.

SB 225/HB 315 Extend Big Game Commercial Services Board - Rules by Request of Leg Budget & Audit
The Governor introduced legislation to delay the termination date of the Big Game Commercial Services Board from 2008 to June 30, 2012.The bill was sent to the Senate Resources and Finance Committees. On the House side, the bill was sent to the Labor & Commerce and Finance Committees.

SB229 Tanana Valley Forest/Minto Flats Refuge - Sen. Thomas (D-Fairbanks)
SB299 transfers certain portions of Tanana Valley State Forest land to the Minto Flats State Game Refuge. It was referred to Senate Resources and Finance.

SB238 Ban Mixing Zones in Spawning Areas - Sen. Stevens (R-Kodiak)
This bill, that addresses one of our priorities, is very similar to HB74 to prohibit mixing zones in freshwater spawning areas.  The biggest difference is the exemption for all turbidity mixing zones.  It was referred to Senate Resources and Finance Committees.

SB246 Susitna Hydro Working Group; Report - Sen. Thomas (D-Faibanks) | Sen. Therriault (R-North Pole)
This bill creates a working group to analyze the potential of a hydroelectric power project on the Susitna River. It has been referred to Resources and Finance Committees.

Calendar: Week of January 22, 2008

Where Things Stand

Here is a reminder of where the previously introduced legislation from last session stands. We're at the start of the second session and will start so see some of these bill moving again.