ACMP issues still at play in Juneau

The Alaska Coastal Management Program terminates July 1 unless extended by the Legislature.

The House Resources Committee is in the midst of hearings on a bill from the administration to extend the program for six years; an audit of the program by the Legislative Audit Division recommended a four-year extension; a bill by the Senate Finance Committee would extend the program by one year.

Finance co-Chair Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, said March 15 at a Senate Bipartisan Working Group press availability that he doesn’t think there is adequate time this year to address coastal zone issues, which is “why I’m supporting a one-year extension.”

If the program isn’t extended, “I guess we could address starting from scratch and building up a new program next year,” Hoffman said, adding that Alaskans, “particularly on the coast, I think unanimously are interested in more participation.”

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, agreed that the issue is an important one about which communities are quite concerned and want to be at the table.

“So there’s a long ways to go on that issue,” Stevens said.

In House Resources, hearings on House Bill 106, the governor’s bill to extend the program, are scheduled through March 25, and Resources co-Chair Paul Seaton, R-Homer, said March 16 that a committee substitute had been prepared.

In addition to earlier testimony from Randy Bates, director of the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Coastal and Ocean Management, the committee heard from Legislative Auditor Pat Davidson on March 11 and from Glenn Gray, a consultant representing coastal districts, on March 16.

See coverage of the March 11 and March 16 and upcoming hearings in the March 27 issue of Petroleum News.

—Kristen Nelson