For Immediate Release: Friday, February 3, 2012

Sen. Giessel Introduces SB 181 to Support Future Recreation and Development in Girdwood Area

JUNEAU – Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, has introduced legislation to ratify mineral closures by the Department of Natural Resources in two creek drainages in the Girdwood area that are important for recreational development. The bill, SB 181, approves land classifications for the Glacier Creek and Winner Creek drainages, closing those areas to new mineral entry. The classifications do not effect previously filed mineral claims.

“The Alaska Miners Association is in agreement with the DNR commissioner that these drainages are more important to the recreational economy of the Girdwood area and should be set aside for those purposes,” Sen. Giessel said. “As the Senator representing Girdwood, I am pleased to be able to support the Turnagain Arm Management Plan and the community’s interest in expanding recreational opportunities in the valley. This recreation area is enjoyed by Alaskans from throughout the state, and visitors from all over the world, and year-round.”

Both the Alyeska Resort and Girdwood 2020 have submitted statements in support of the mineral closure. Those statements and others from interested stakeholders can be read by going to: http://www.aksenateminority.com/wp-content/uploads/SB-181-Supporting-Ltrs.pdf

The bill withdraws approximately 5,580 acres from mineral entry within the two drainages. Senate Bill 181 is in the Senate Resources committee awaiting a hearing.

To read the DNR mineral closing order, please go here: http://www.aksenateminority.com/wp-content/uploads/SB-181-DNR-Decision-Doc.pdf

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For Immediate Release: February 3, 2012

Sen. John Coghill Strongly Objects to USAF Transfer

of F-16 Wing From Eielson AFB to Anchorage

(Juneau) – Following the announcement today from the Department of Defense that it would be moving its remaining F-16 fighter jets from Eielson AFB near North Pole to Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson at Anchorage, Sen. John Coghill released the following statement:

“I just learned of the announcement about the Air Force moving the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson to Elmendorf this morning. I am still trying to understand the reason for this move. It looks to me like a realignment is taking place, without the public input required under the Base Realignment and Closing process.

“As I understand the issue, the support services, from airframe maintenance to medical, will go with the fighters. This could leave the base as a ghost town in many ways, making it nearly impossible to defend Eielson during the open BRAC process.

“In addition to all the many attributes that Eielson provides for the defense of our nation, there are three aspects of this move that are particularly troubling to me. One, Alaska’s strategic location relative to the Pacific Rim has not changed, but the dangers lurking there have only grown larger. Two, if the F-16s are moved to Elmendorf, they will be operating in more congested air space, with world class winds, making the approach into their base much more difficult. And three, this decision was not made in an open process, which will leave Eielson totally defenseless in the upcoming BRAC round that the secretary of defense has called for.

“I will write to the DoD to express, in the strongest way I can, my concern over this move, and ask that it be reconsidered.”

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Senate Judiciary Committee Approves

Legislative Ethics Changes Proposed in SB 89

(Juneau) – The Senate Judiciary Committee today moved SB 89, which better defines ethical issues for legislators and staff.  Senator Coghill serves on the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics and introduced the bill at the request of the committee.

Senator Coghill said there are several vague statutes that leave interpretation to the ethics committee.  This bill clarifies some of the unclear language, provides for alternate public members to the committee to eliminate problems meeting quorums, and adds accountability to public members of the committee by including them in confidentiality provisions of ethics proceedings.

“I want to eliminate the ambiguities in the ethics laws,” Coghill said. “I don’t want the committee to define ethical behavior, I want the laws to define what is ethical, knowing that ethics laws do not prevent unethical behavior but they set standards for ethical people.”

SB 89 was moved from the Judiciary committee on to the Rules committee for floor calendaring.

Sen. Giessel Comments on McDowell Study

Of Productivity of NS Compared to Other Oil Provinces

(Juneau) Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, today addressed the State Senate about the just-released jobs study by Juneau-based McDowell group, which compares Alaska North Slope job numbers with production.

“The McDowell report confirms that, yes, employment numbers are up on the North Slope, but unlike in past decades, production per worker is way down,” Giessel said. “At peak production of more than 2 million barrels per day in the pipeline, the ratio of what each worker produced was 200,000 barrels per year. Now, the ratio has dropped to 27,000 barrels per worker per year. In other words, it takes nearly eight times as many workers to produce that 200,000 barrels of oil.

“The argument that all is well on the North Slope, based on employment numbers, is specious,” Giessel said. “Production is what brings wealth to state government. Production is declining by 7-8 percent per year. Our focus must be on increasing production. Increased production brings with it more job opportunities for Alaskans, in good-paying jobs.”

Senator Giessel also noted that, even though North Slope job numbers are up a modest number, other oil producing areas have added tens of thousands of jobs. She cited Alberta, where tar sands production is fueling a huge boom, has 60,000 openings.

“This is oil that would have filled the Keystone pipeline, if the Obama administration had not rejected that project,” Giessel said. “The pipeline itself would have generated tens of thousands of construction  and operating jobs.”

The study, requested by the Senate Labor and Commerce committee, was paid for by the Senate Finance committee, at a cost of $175,000. To read the McDowell report, please go here:

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_documents.asp?chamber=SL!C&session=27&bill=&date1=20120124&time2=1330

To listen to Sen. Giessel’s comments under Special Orders, please go here:

http://gavelalaska.org/media/?media_id=SFLS120125A

Senators Cathy Giessel and John Coghill met on Tuesday, January 17 to take questions from Capitol reporters on issues under consideration by the 27th Alaska Legislature. They were joined by Senators Fred Dyson and Charlie Huggins (not pictured). Sen. Coghill will serve as minority leader during 2012.