Comment: President Barack Obama dined last night at the Anchorage home of Alaska Dispatch Publisher Alice Rogoff (NGP Photo). We hope that in addition to climate change issues, Alaska's major publisher was able to also discuss other matters.
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Read other national and international news accounts of President Obama's Alaska visit, here. We provided additional links, yesterday, here. |
Alaska's dependence and constitutional reliance on natural resources largely rest upon Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) sustainability. This is because 90% of the state operating budget and over a third of Alaska's economy are based on oil revenue.
TAPS' sustainability, the President should know, depends in large measure on federal policies affecting the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska; the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (1002 area); oil and gas lease sales; energy project permitting, regulation and conditions.
Rogoff, a well known organizer of Arctic forums would also be in a good position to emphasize the importance of protecting US jurisdiction in the Arctic. Guarding American interests is particularly important as Russia becomes more and more provocative in staking out high value oil and gas resources in the Arctic, building infrastructure and increasing its military presence.
We have noted Canada's diligence in caring for its Arctic domain. The United States, Canada's NORAD partner, should be doing the same. -dh
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