Calgary Herald by Don Braid. When Energy Minister Ken Hughes talks about the oilsands Thursday in Vancouver, he’ll have a message for our coastal cousins: “Not all roads lead through British Columbia.” Translation: If B.C. won’t transport bitumen, Alberta will find somebody who’s glad to do it. ***** Hughes says he’s interested in a plan to ship oil across Yukon to the Alaskan port at Valdez. He may have an announcement on that matter on Thursday. “The pipeline there is only 50 per cent full and declining in volume,” he says. “Valdez has a deepwater port, it has a refinery, it has storage capacity.” (See our earlier reference to this story, thanks to Diane Francis!)
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Comment: Yesterday, Consumer Energy Alliance-Alaska President
Steve Pratt (NGP Photo) provided
 testimony to the Special Senate Committee on Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) Throughput. This testimony is typical of those seeking to balance long term needs of this and future generations with today’s political realities. -dhThank you, Chairmen for allowing public comment on tax reform. My name is Steve Pratt, Executive Director of Consumer Energy Alaska, a regional chapter affiliated with the national Consumer Energy Alliance. We believe there are several reasons why we need to look at tax code revisions:
Business and residential consumers of energy have a direct interest in consuming competitively priced energy supplied from domestic sources, and also have a direct interest in robust overall economic activity to maintain livelihoods.
30% of Alaskans are dependent upon oil and gas exploration and development for employment.
Oil production has declined from a peak of over 2 million barrels a day to a little over 500 thousand barrels a day and is in freefall at the rate of 5 – 7% per year during times of increasing oil prices. (Entire Testimony Here)
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A. We pay attention to the news announcement below, expecting it to be overlooked by many of Alaska’s news media. Jake Adams is one of Alaska’s most qualified leaders. The Arctic Policy Commission will play a key role in energy development. No one is more qualified than Adams to negotiate the tensions existing between the need for environmental protection, subsistence values and the economic health ofrural and urban Alaskans. The North Slope Borough mayor and Speaker of the House are to be congratulated on this selection.
Those contemplating any Arctic development would be well advised to seek the counsel of both Treadwell and Adams, among others. -dh
NSB CAO Jacob Adams, Sr. Appointed to Arctic Policy Commission
North Slope Borough
 Mayor Charlotte Brower (NGP Photo) today congratulated her CAO, Jacob Anaġi Adams for his appointment by House Speaker Mike Chenault  (NGP Photo) as an alternate member to the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. “Jacob is a recognized and respected leader throughout the Arctic, and all of us at the North Slope Borough are thrilled. My sincere thanks and appreciation go out to Speaker Chenault for this appointment and for recognizing the important role the North Slope Borough will play in developing an Arctic Policy.” Mayor Brower added, "The North Slope of Alaska is what qualifies the United States as an Arctic Nation, and the people of our region look forward to being part of the process."
The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission was created by the Alaska Legislature in 2012 with the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 23. During the next two years the Commission will meet to provide policy recommendations regarding Arctic policy, and will deliver a final report to the Alaska legislature by January 30, 2015.
Mr. Adams was involved with both the North Slope Borough and the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation even before their incorporations in 1972, and has remained an active leader in each ever since – spanning a period of more than 40 years. Adams currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the NSB providing leadership and direction to the administration and policies of Mayor Charlotte Brower. Jacob has previously served the NSB as mayor and Assembly president.
Mr. Adams also served the North Slope Region as president and CEO of Arctic Slope Regional
Corporation from 1983 until 2006. Adams is still an integral component of the Corporation’s leadership through his ongoing service as a member of their board of directors.
Adams has also served as Mayor of the City of Barrow and member of the Barrow City Council. Born and raised in a community of subsistence hunters and whalers, Adams was instrumental in forming the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, where he served as chairman. He is a current member of the Barrow Whaling Captains Association and a volunteer for Barrow Search & Rescue.
Mr. Adams is from Barrow, Alaska. He is married to Lucille Hopson and they have six children, 18
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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ALERT: Our friends at Resource Development Council for Alaska remind us that the Alaska Oil Tax and Investment Climate hearings being held by the Alaska Legislature began yesterday (see above testimony) and continue on Thursday. RDC urges citizens to present brief testimony urging the legislature to make policy changes this session to attract new investment and increase North Slope production.
"For additional information on the hearings and why the time is now for the
legislature to act," the organization says, "please see RDC’s Action Alert at: http://www.akrdc.org/alerts/
legislature to act," the organization says, "please see RDC’s Action Alert at: http://www.akrdc.org/alerts/
Here are some recent video statements by legislative leaders on oil and gas policy:
*Rep. Hawker (NGP Photo) Discusses Natural .jpg)
Gas Solutions for Alaska http://www.housemajority.org/
Gas Solutions for Alaska http://www.housemajority.org/*Rep. Mike Hawker (NGP Photo) on Cook Inlet Natural Gas http://www.housemajority.org/
* Majority Leader Lance Pruitt (NGP Photo) Discusses Oil Taxes http://www.housemajority.org/
Research and Markets: 2013 Directory of China’s Natural Gas Pipelines – Details of 2182 ….
Special Senate Committee on TAPS Throughput
January 29, 2013
Thank you, Chairmen for allowing public comment on tax reform. My name is Steve Pratt, Executive Director of Consumer Energy Alaska, a regional chapter affiliated with the national Consumer Energy Alliance. We believe there are several reasons why we need to look at tax code revisions:
Business and residential consumers of energy have a direct interest in consuming competitively priced energy supplied from domestic sources, and also have a direct interest in robust overall economic activity to maintain livelihoods.
30% of Alaskans are dependent upon oil and gas exploration and development for employment.
Oil production has declined from a peak of over 2 million barrels a day to a little over 500 thousand barrels a day and is in freefall at the rate of 5 – 7% per year during times of increasing oil prices.
Alaska is capable of providing a great deal more of total domestic oil production in the United States.
Alaska’s abundant natural resources and oil production are vital to the energy security of the entire nation as well as the state.
New exploratory and development drilling is both a risky enterprise and necessary to stem the decline in Alaska oil production.
New oil exploration and development in Alaska needs to compete globally for investment dollars.
The rates and progressivity structure of Alaska’s current tax regime provide a disincentive to attracting risk capital to the state as evidenced by declining production during times of high oil prices. Increased prices have resulted in substantial increases in oil production in other locations around the United States, but not in Alaska, and not because more oil is not available.
Increased investment through increased global competitiveness will enhance Alaska’s ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate to develop natural resources for the maximum benefit of the people.
Alaska’s remoteness from the markets, Arctic climate, high labor and logistical costs argue for a more competitive tax and regulatory structure.
Consumer Energy Alliance – Alaska is in favor of the Alaska State Legislature reviewing and approving revisions to the Alaska Tax Code that would improve the investment climate in Alaska.
Something is terribly wrong and I thank you for taking on the task, with the Governor, of coming up with useful changes.
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