"An Act providing for the transfer of property at Clark Bay to the Inter-Island Ferry Authority. "

Today before you is House Bill 497 "An Act providing for the transfer of property at Clark Bay to the Inter-Island Ferry Authority." If enacted, HB 497 would authorize the Department of Natural Resources to transfer the ownership of certain property to the Inter-Island Ferry Authority for the operation of the Clark Bay Terminal on Prince of Wales Island. Passage of this bill will allow the IFA to construct a new terminal which will provide more efficient marine ferry service to the residents of Prince of Whales Island and Ketchikan and adjacent areas of southern Southeast Alaska. This transfer of ownership implements the intent of the Memorandum of Agreement between the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the Inter-Island Ferry Authority, signed July 28, 2000 and August 1, 2000, respectively.

We respectfully request the Resources Committee to adopt the CS for House Bill 497 which will authorize the Commissioner of Natural Resources to transfer land to the Hyder Board of Trade, Inc. for use in support of marine and economic development initiatives. The Roanan Corporation stands ready to work with the Hyder Board of Trade to acquire and develop the "unoccupied tidelands" between their waterfront property (A.T.S. 206) and the Hyder Causeway. This area is approximately the same size the Hyder Board of Trade seeks to have transferred, with the approval of the Alaska State Legislature. Information on the proposed facility is included in your packets and illustrates the benefits it would bring to Hyder, Alaska as well as the rest of the State.

If either the Inter-Island Ferry Authority or the Hyder Board of Trade, Inc. ceases to exist the land shall revert back to the Department of Natural Resources. We ask for your support on this legislation, thank you.

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