The House Resources Committee heard testimony Monday on a bill that would redesignate state wildlife areas and restore a ban on personal watercraft in Kachemak Bay.

House Bill 321, sponsored by Representative Andy Josephson of Anchorage, would consolidate state game refuges, wildlife refuges and critical habitat areas under two simplified designations: wildlife refuges and wildlife sanctuaries. The bill would also add lands to existing refuges, close portions of McNeil River to brown bear hunting and prohibit jet skis in two areas of Kachemak Bay.

The committee heard from more than a dozen testifiers, most supporting the bill. Several Homer residents urged lawmakers to restore the personal watercraft ban that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game lifted in recent years.

"The process the administration used to remove the ban was deeply flawed," said Nancy Lord, a Homer resident. She said the department counted petition signatures from around the country equally with local testimony when deciding to allow jet skis.

Rika Mau, also from Homer, said the ban was based on scientific information. "There was really no scientific backing for pulling that ban," she said.

Robert Archbold, chair of the Kachemak Bay State Park Citizens Advisory Board, said his 12-member board supports the bill. "Most of the public was not in favor of rescinding the ban on personal watercraft," he said of discussions at board meetings.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang defended his decision to allow jet skis in the bay. He said he reviewed the science and found no reason to prohibit personal watercraft when jet boats, aircraft, airboats and landing craft are allowed without horsepower restrictions.

"I could not get in my mind why we would not allow jet skis to be in Kachemak Bay versus all those other craft," Vincent-Lang said. He added that existing Marine Mammal Act protections prevent harassment of wildlife regardless of vessel type.

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the department's decision to allow jet skis. Vincent-Lang said the department opposes the bill's provision to ban them.

The bill would also close the Camera Shack Bay area near McNeil River to brown bear hunting. Vincent-Lang said the area has been closed by the Board of Game for decades, but the department believes hunting decisions should remain with the board rather than be set in statute.

Wayne Hall, an Anchorage resident, supported the McNeil closure. "It will remove the possibility of ill-fated bear hunting season proposals to the Alaska Board of Game which would only generate animosity between user groups," he said.

The bill would allow Fish and Game to close limited areas in refuges to firearm discharge for public safety, primarily targeting shooting ranges. Representative Kevin McCabe asked how the department would notify the public of closures near the Rabbit Creek shooting range.

"We have not really figured that out yet, but I like the concept of a flashing light down there somehow," Vincent-Lang said.

Josephson said he would consider a friendly amendment to clarify that nothing in the bill would allow Fish and Game to close the Rabbit Creek rifle range.

The bill would add 688 acres to Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in Fairbanks, purchased with federal Pittman-Robertson funds and private donations. John Ross of the Conservation Fund said an additional 375 acres are being acquired that would complete the refuge footprint.

McCabe raised concerns about whether expanding the Homer Airport Critical Habitat Area could increase bird strikes. Joe Meehan, Josephson's policy advisor, said the department has never discussed habitat enhancement projects there and that Federal Aviation Administration regulations allow the agency to review projects within five miles of airports.

Representative Prax suggested splitting the bill into separate pieces to avoid controversial provisions derailing less contentious boundary corrections. Josephson acknowledged the personal watercraft ban is contentious but said most provisions fit together.

The committee took no action on the bill. Vincent-Lang said terminology changes would cost about $45,000 to update signs and staff travel.

The bill passed the House in the 2017-18 term by a 35-5 vote, Josephson said. The current version is a committee substitute adopted at a previous hearing.