The University of Alaska wants to add the Kodiak Launch Complex to its flagship research program in geophysical science. To better accomplish this, however, the UA system wants to own the 2,880 acres at Narrow Cape under a university land grant bill introduced last week by Gov. Frank Murkowski.

The House Resource Committee on Wednesday listened to testimony on the university land grant bill, HB 130.

Kodiak Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux was able to ask directly about UA’s plans.

“I’m just trying to figure out what the university wants with the rocket launch complex down in Kodiak,” LeDoux asked both Alaska Department of Natural Resource and university officials.

Joseph Beedle, vice president of finance for the University of Alaska system answered LeDoux’s questions by speaking about the university’s prominent geophysical research component.

“It is an area of excellence that the University of Alaska takes pride in and wants to expand,” Beedle said. “If there’s going to be other areas of opportunity in the state — whether they be research, whether they be for rocket or satellite launches — the University of Alaska wants to be in the game.

“We really want to be on the ground floor with our scientists, with our energy (and) with our resources,” Beedle said. “This is probably one of the only ways, in addition to our science, that we can be.”

Beedle said the land around the KLC would give the university a stronger role in the future activities at the launch complex.

“It should be a Kennedy Space Center someday,” Beedle said.

“The establishment of the Geophysical Institute is roughly equal to what another institution’s medical research school would be,” Beedle said. “It is our institute of international prominence.”

The research accomplished at the geophysical research branch of the university includes studies from the center of the sun to the center of the earth, Beedle said. He also mentioned research into atmospheric conditions, global climate change, ocean observing systems and the aurora borealis

“We look forward to sharing with you what we do at Poker Flats,” Beedle said.

Kodiak’s representative and other Kodiak residents testifying at the hearing asked if the university couldn’t conduct their research without actually owning the land.

“The Univerisity of Alaska does not need to own land to do research,” Beedle answered. “We do a lot of research that is owned by private, state and federal agencies.”

But the UA has a stronger position at the table when the university owns the land and can deal with restrictions on the land in the role of a landowner, Beedle said.

Kodiak residents testifying at Wednesday’s hearing expressed deep concern with access issues and recreational opportunities should the university own the 2,280 acres on Narrow Cape.

Kodiak resident Julie Kavanaugh testified during the hearing that access needed to be guaranteed.

Kavanaugh said she often goes horseback riding in the area.

“I have major concerns about the fact that this parcel was put into this bill,” Kavanaugh testified. “If this bill goes through the way it is, I would like to see the roads and trails not included in that acquisition.”

Iver Malutin testified about his concern for the loss of subsistence hunting rights in the area should the university own the land at Narrow Cape.

But university officials said they had an excellent track record of working with the land at the Poker Flats rocket launch facility that addressed public concerns.

“We frankly, from the Chatanika lodge adjacent to the property, get high marks for how we deal with that local community when rockets are launched,” Beedle said. “We preclude them from being three day weekends and times when that community values that space.

“I believe we would be an excellent land partner that Kodiak would be pleased to work with,” Beedle said. “I think our public process would be one that would reward a community interaction.”

UA President Mark Hamilton echoed those comments as he met with the Borough Assembly Thursday.

“We already own one rocket launch facility and you might check with the folks from around there,” Hamilton said. “You could not have a better owner of that land than the university.”

Hamilton promised the process would put the Kodiak public at ease. Should the Borough Assembly demand the right of first refusal on a land transfer, that request would not be out of the question, Hamiltion said.

“We’re a public entity,” Hamiltion said. “Making enemies is really bad business for the university.”

Borough Assembly members returning from Juneau said they were surprised by the announcement of the university land grant last week but were encouraged by their two days of meetings with university and DNR officials.

“I think we’re safe,” Assembly member Tom Abell said in a borough work session Thursday. “I think we’re looking good and just need to work with these people and watch real close.

“The borough assembly has been involved the last two days with this whole thing and we’ll get more reports out as we know more about it,” Abell said.

“This might be a way the borough will end up with 2,880 acres side by side with AADC, Abell said. “Then it would be our property, it wouldn’t be the state’s or the rocket launch’s’.”

Mirror writer Wes Hanna can be reached via e-mail at whanna@kodiakdailymirror.com.