Dear Neighbors:

As we head into the autumn, several important issues will impact Anchorage and the rest of the state. Two topics specifically affecting Anchorage residents involve the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport expansion and the Mayor's DUI task force. The legislature and important industry groups are also working on strengthening economic ties with our Canadian neighbors. We are also continuing the important process of strengthening our state oil spill prevention laws.

As most of you are aware, the makeover of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is ongoing. One matter of immediate concern to me involves a parcel of land located at the northwest corner of DeLong Lake near the airport's east/west runway. The property is located in the 65-70 DNL noise contour.

On September 6, developer Pete Zamarillo, through his company Avanti Corporation, is going before the Anchorage Municipality Platting Authority. He wants to subdivide his DeLong Lake property into ten small residential lots. According to the Airport's part 150 study, the 65-70 DNL noise contour is not compatible with residential living. Airport officials stated at a recent Airport Advisory Committee meeting that the airport recently received 3 million dollars from the FAA to purchase residential land in high noise contour areas to reduce residential development in affected areas. I strongly encourage you to urge the airport to purchase this land before it is developed. If the airport purchases the raw land now, the price tag will be considerably less than after it is developed. The state should pay fair market value.

In mid-July the Task Force on Motorized Oil Transportation met for the first time to work on bringing large marine vessels and railroad tank cars into Alaska's oil spill response protective safety net. After the Exxon oil spill, the legislature enacted one of the world's best oil spill response programs. Since that time, it became clear that the laws needed strengthening to include non-tanker vessels and the railroad. Non-tanker vessels include cruise and cargo ships, ferries, and large fish processors.

Last session I introduced Senate Bill 273 which would require non-tanker vessels and the railroad to provide containment and cleanup plans in anticipation of future oil spills. SB 273 and a resolution passed at the end of the legislative session created a task force that will bring to the 22nd Legislature strict rules providing for containment plans for oil spill response by non-tanker carriers.

The Task Force has broken into several response planning workgroups that are addressing specific topics such as standards and equipment. On August 31, the equipment subcommittee met to establish a process for determining what new equipment would be required under the new planning standard for non-tank vessels so that adequate equipment would be in place and so that program costs could be more clearly defined. The subcommittee found that Southeast, Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound and Kodiak have, or are in the final process of phasing in, adequate equipment for different fuel types. The subcommittee also found that Anchorage and Dutch Harbor would serve as primary response centers for Western Alaska.

On September 6 the Response Planning Standard Work Group met at the Anchorage LIO to continue its work in determining how to achieve response-planning standards for nontank vessels and trains carrying oil.

A third subgroup, the Prevention Workgroup, has also been meeting this month. This group developed a list of potential benefits that nontank vessel owners could achieve by instituting the state's recommended prevention measures. These potential benefits include: reduced insurance rates, lower co-op participation fees, tax benefits, regulatory relief and good publicity through a standard of care, state award program.

The Task Force will hold a public meeting at the Anchorage LIO, 716 West 4th Avenue in the 5th floor conference room on September 20. The current plan is to have a final draft of the Task Force's recommendations prepared by December 1 for presentation to the legislature.

On September 16, Representative Gail Phillips (R-Homer), Chair of the House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, and I will lead a delegation of Alaska government and business leaders to Alberta and the Northwest Territories. The purpose of the trip is to continue the process of developing formal protocols with these Canadian territories to strengthen common economic development issues and government relations.

Alaska, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories share several economic priorities involving transportation and housing issues in Artic climates as well as developing our mineral, oil and natural gas resources. Regional cooperation will prove essential to maximizing an accelerated and responsible approach to addressing these concerns to our mutual benefits.

There is demand for arctic gas and the technology to bring this gas to market exists. It is time to initiate an international dialogue on a Trans-North American pipeline system. Formalizing development strategies with our Canadian counterparts on matters such as cooperative permitting agreements is the next logical step in this process.

Finally, I would like to briefly discuss Mayor Weurch's DUI task force. In mid-August, the Mayor, the Anchorage Assembly and several Anchorage legislators met to discuss the task force. Whatever recommendations the task force eventually puts forth will almost certainly involve legislation.

The Mayor's task force has been divided into three subcommittees. One group is reviewing current municipal and state laws as well as enforcement and safety practices. The second group is looking at additional measures to protect the public through items such as interlock devices. The final group is looking at establishing a DUI Court that could focus considerable resources on alcohol and substance abuse issues. DUI courts have significantly reduced DUI problems in other jurisdictions. I will work with the task force to seek any statutory changes recommended.