March 10, 2010
Defending Alaska’s Interests in the Nation’s Capital
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Representative Gardner with Representative Harry Crawford and Senator Johnny Ellis in front of the White House before a meeting with Senior Advisor to the President, Pete Rouse.
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Alaska is an energy state. Jobs, schools, and public health and safety are in great measure a result of successful efforts to move our vast resources of oil and gas to markets. Energy Council in Washington DC is an opportunity for us to learn what is happening in other energy producing states and in the nation’s capitol and to explain and defend our state’s interests. Energy Council also offers us an opportunity to meet with federal officials to talk about land conveyances, leases, permitting, and federal loan guarantees and regulatory issues for our pipeline. Defending Alaska’s interests in the nation’s capitol is an important focus for Alaskan legislators and there is no doubt that the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Senate Energy Committee - even the President’s staff knew the Alaskans were in town!
At every meeting we stressed the importance to Alaska and the nation of streamlining the process of getting our oil and gas to consumers. This is a critical issue of both jobs and energy security. We were able to educate top Congressional and White House leaders on things that are of major importance to our state including:
· Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) Primer: Describing the elements of our contract with TransCanada and efforts to promote construction of a gas pipeline, a pipeline which the Congress has declared to be “in the national interest”.
· Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act (ANGPA) Federal Loan Guarantee: A document describing the importance of federal loan guarantees, and urging passage of the Senate Energy bill which include increases in the loan amount and other important elements relating to the loans.
· Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS): Providing information about the importance to Alaska of having a reliable, predictable and timely federal permit process. There is point in offering lease sales if purchasers cannot access or develop their leases. Timely OCS developments may be key to our efforts to keep oil flowing through our TAPS pipeline.
· Army corps of Engineers Denial of CD-5 Bridge Permit: Talking points about Conoco Phillips’ efforts to develop their CD5 lease in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA). This is a shovel ready project which represents $400 million in investment, 400 direct jobs and hundreds of support jobs. The Army Corps of Engineers denied a bridge permit which would have allowed the company to begin development of their leases and also potentially allow access into other areas of NPRA. It was a huge and expensive disappointment, following an extensive Environmental Impact Study (EIS) which recommended the bridge, and support by local people for that particular bridge location.
· Shell in Alaska: Describing Shell’s efforts to develop their Beaufort and Chukchi Sea leases and urgent need for an air quality permit now. This also is a shovel ready project lacking only the final permit. The three year time lag has the potential to force Shell to delay work for another year.
· Public School Trust Lands: Highlighting Alaska Statewide PTA efforts to gain state title to the 180,000 acres of federal land promised to Alaskan schools at Statehood.
The meetings were highly productive with the Alaska contingent learning and sharing information essential for oil and gas development in our state.
Representative Kawasaki, Senator Ellis, Representative Harry Crawford and Representative Gardner met with Senior Advisor to the President, Pete Rouse (right) while they were in Washington D.C. for Energy Council.
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· A top White House official committed to us that he would work with the Army Corp of Engineers to help resolve the issue for Conoco Phillips and NPRA and also that the position of the Pipeline Coordinator for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects will be elevated to “executive level”, underscoring the President’s commitment to our natural gas pipeline.
· A White House Advisor on Energy and Climate Change told us she expected “ very good news” for Shell’s outer continental shelf development and the air quality permits they need to be able to move forward with their 2010 drilling season.
This is great news for Alaska energy and Alaskan jobs! |
