| Watch the historical, Senator Ted Cruz filibuster live, today. |
In today's Xtra, circulated to over 60 thousand homes, we comment on Mayor Brower's leadership.
Today, we compliment Governor Sean Parnell for appointing Joe Balash (NGP Photo) acting commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. Balash has served as deputy DNR commissioner and fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Dan Sullivan. He is one of the most well studied, articulate experts on natural resource issues employed by the state government.
The Co-Chair for our 9th Annual Alaska Oil and Gas Congress last week was Alaska North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower (NGP Photo).
To more properly display Mayor Brower's leadership on oil and gas issues, we provide the full text of her Day One Closing and Day Two Opening remarks, below. In the sidebar, we provide the text of her remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for $90 million in upgraded and new water-waste water and solid waste facilities to serve the giant, Prudhoe Bay oilfield area.
In that North Slope presentation, she compliments Alaska's governor and legislature for approving tax reform legislation designed to attract more oil industry investment to the state. -dh
Today's American Energy Alliance Links:
As the crusade against affordable energy continues, watch more of those who actually work for a living start to peel away.The Washington Free Beacon (9/23/13) reports: “The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) blasted the Obama administration’s new standards for coal plant emissions on Monday, saying they will hamper job growth and U.S. energy independence and raise electricity prices. The union’s antipathy to the plan underscores a long-running tension between big labor and environmentalists, two key segments of the Democratic Party’s political base.” |
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You don’t need to have a crystal ball to see where ethanol policy is driving our economy.The American Energy Alliance (9/24/13) reports: “Despite what the ethanol industry would have you believe, biofuel mandates place unrealistic and ever-rising burdens on energy producers. In America, for example, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) will soon require oil refiners to blend more ethanol into gasoline than the nation’s fuel supply can safely sustain. The European Union also mandates rising biofuel volumes in gasoline. Unsurprisingly, they are also finding compliance more difficult. Unfortunately, America and Europe have both experienced the negative effects of energy central planning, including higher food prices, increasingly unattainable mandates, and the unintended consequence of fuels that produce more pollution, not less.” |
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Some back of the napkin math: 34,500 gallons is a big number. Here's a bigger number – over 8 days, 17.15 inches of rain fell on Boulder County. That’s just shy of 300 million gallons of water per square mile. The Associated Press (9/24/13) reports: “State officials are now tracking 11 ‘notable’ releases from the Wattenberg oil patch along the South Platte River in Weld County. The amount of crude spilled totals at least 34,500 gallons, or about 822 barrels. The volumes of two releases are still unknown. Industry representatives have said 1,900 oil and gas wells were shut down across northern Colorado because of flooding. About 600 wells have since re-opened.” |
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Ohio is poised for an energy revolution, but not the one AWEA is lobbying for.The Institute for Energy Research (9/24/13) reports: “At the turn of the 20th century, Ohio was the largest oil producer in the United States. With the Appalachian Basin, which crosses the eastern part of Ohio, the state may return being a large oil and natural gas producer. The Basin’s Marcellus shale formation contains shale gas and the Utica shale formation contains both shale oil and gas. While production is just beginning in these shale formations in Ohio, it is expected to increase substantially by 2015. Currently, the shale wells account for less than 1 percent of the almost 51,000 gas and oil wells in the state. However, their output in 2012 represented 12 percent of the state’s total oil production and 16 percent of the state’s total gas production.” |
CLOSING REMARKS BY MAYOR CHARLOTTE E. BROWER
2013 Oil and Gas Congress September 17, 2013
Please let me take this opportunity to again, say ‘Thank You’ .JPG)
to Dave Harbour and the Canadian Institute for inviting me to co-chair this event.
I appreciate the opportunity to listen, engage, and learn, along with all of you, about the present and future plans of the oil and gas industry in Alaska.
Alaska is fortunate to be the destination for energy development for the US and for North America. With our collaborative efforts and partnerships, and by continuing the conversations of today and tomorrow, we can ensure this honor and responsibility continues and grows for future generations.
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Below, we provide the text of Mayor Brower's speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for $90 million in upgraded and new water-waste water and solid waste facilities to serve the giant, Prudhoe Bay oilfield. In that speech, she compliments Alaska's governor and legislature for approving tax reform legislation designed to attract more oil industry investment. -dh (Note: Photos will be placed here over the next few days….) OPENING REMARKS BY MAYOR CHARLOTTE E. BROWER SA‐10 UTILITY PLANT GROUNDBREAKING September 4, 2013 Good afternoon and Welcome! Together we are standing here today at the economic heart of the State of Alaska. Because of the resources that we are blessed to have lying beneath our feet, hundreds of miles away there are children attending quality schools, a young couple is driving to their job, a carpenter is building a home. Prudhoe Bay is truly the economic engine of the state, supporting our state, tribal and local The Inupiaq people have lived in this region for thousands of years. Together we have harvested the bounty of both the land, and the sea. Our people not only survived, but we thrived because of the wisdom and culture handed down from our Elders and previous generations. As Mayor of the North Slope Borough and as an Inupiaq, I am humbled and honored to stand here today to look to the past and the future. The path that led us here to this point does not stop – it continues forward. As a grandmother, I am very sensitive about making sure my grandchildren can not only The Inupiaq are tied to the land in a way which many on the outside are not able to understand. Our One of the lessons that subsistence has taught us, is that working together is essential to the success of I applaud Governor Parnell, and the Alaska Legislature for the courage and confidence they displayed in the passage of Senate Bill 21. Passage of this bill will create and encourage investment in the oil and gas industry. In order for all of this to succeed, we are here today to celebrate the North Slope Borough’s efforts to work as a proactive member of the team. The NSB is going accomplish this by continuing to provide Today’s groundbreaking represents a $60 million investment by the North Slope Borough in our Service Area Ten utility. I am proud of the efforts by my administration to work closely with industry to identify unmet needs, and as a result, they came up with a user‐friendly design for the new utility plant which will be capable of producing the hot water required for drilling and maintenance operations. The Borough’s efforts to expand our public utility services are far from over. Design efforts are also I want to thank the members of the North Slope Borough Assembly for their vision, leadership and assistance in making these improvements possible. As I said before, I believe unity, cooperation and teamwork are essential in the success of any effort, and this project would not be possible without their I truly believe the actions of Governor Parnell and the Alaska Legislature, the commitment of the Quyanaqpak for being here today on this momentous occasion! |
As Mayor of the North Slope Borough, standing up here as co-chair sends a strong message that the people of the North Slope are interested in working with all interested stakeholders to ensure safe, responsible and sustainable oil and gas development. Development that meets the high standards we set and maintain for those who operate in our great State. I am happy to help convey that message on behalf of our region.
As discussed in our presentations today, we see that the State of Alaska is a place that encourages investment by the oil and gas industry. We heard this message from Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan. We heard it from our legislators (Speaker of the House Mike Chenault, Senate Majority Leader John Coghill). And we heard it from our permitting agencies – such as the Department of Natural Resources.
But let’s take a moment and think a little bit about how we got to this point. Let’s be honest. Let’s ask the question: has the relationship and experience between industry and the State of Alaska over the past 40+ years been smooth and without challenges?
I think everyone knows the honest answer – It has not.
And honestly, it has not always been a smooth relationship between industry and the people of the North Slope either. We have most certainly had our fair share of challenges.
But listening to our discussions today, and in anticipation of those to occur tomorrow, I am confidently reminded that we all have learned a lot about one another over the past 40 years. We have overcome many obstacles that have allowed significant economic success and forward progress.
We should all be thankful for these lessons. And we have, indeed, learned from them. Most importantly, we have learned to work together.
All of us are stakeholders with an interest in developing oil and gas resources. We all sit at our respective sides of the table. If we all truly want a positive investment climate here, then we all have a responsibility to maintain good relationships amongst ourselves.
We, the people of the North Slope, are the most affected by the development that occurs in our region. As the Mayor of the North Slope Borough, I must remind you that we are pro-active members of the process and we welcome and encourage good communications and collaboration to allow safe and sustainable development of our resources.
I am certain that of the many issues considered over these two days, we have not and will not encounter a single issue that we could not solve if we work together. Not a single one.
As we bring this first day to a close, there is a final viewpoint that I want to share with you.
I respect and appreciate that the organizers of this great event selected a co-chair who is not just the Mayor of the North Slope Borough, but one who serves in the very important role—as an Inupiat mother of 6 children, and a grandmother of 23 grandchildren—all of whom call the North Slope their home. My constituents have the same vested interest that I have.
That’s the investment that I am looking out for and the interests that I am sworn to protect. The focus must be centered on the success of our people today, and for generations to come. The North Slope has been our land for thousands of years before the discovery of Arctic oil and gas, and it will continue to be our home long after the resources are extracted. I look forward to telling you more about our great region when we get started tomorrow morning.
As Borough Mayor, I am more than happy to respect and welcome investment in the North Slope from anyone willing to work with us for continued safe and sustainable development. I only ask that you do the same for our investments and interests.
In closing, Thank You for the time each one of you have given by participating in this very important discussion over these wo days. I hope that each of you will commit to continue these conversations beyond this event. And I challenge each of you to cause these discussions to result in positive actions, collaborations, and long-term partnerships that achieve success that is mutually beneficial to all.
Quyanaqpak and please do enjoy the networking reception, which starts right now just outside these doors. Have a great evening and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow. Thank you!
Day Two
OPENING REMARKS BY MAYOR CHARLOTTE E. BROWER
2013 Oil and Gas Congress September 18, 2013
Good morning and welcome!
Welcome back to day two of our great conference. Now in its 9th year, the Alaska Oil and Gas Congress has established a reputation as the place to gather, network and discuss the future direction of energy policy, project development and new resource opportunities in the state.
This year’s theme, Advancing Alaska as a Global Energy Competitor, examines industry and legislative efforts to increase Alaska’s profile as the destination for energy development. This includes fiscal measures to attract investment capital for development and incentives for major projects to support increased oil and gas output. We started many of these important conversations in yesterday's program.
After the completion of this year’s Congress, we will have vital strategies to increase our competitiveness in North American energy markets, gain critical updates on pipeline developments, and moving gas from the North Slope. We will also have a better understanding of the latest federal regulatory developments for on-shore and offshore Arctic projects.
As previously stated, my name is Charlotte Brower, Mayor of the North Slope Borough. Allow me share with you more information about our region.
The North Slope Borough is the regional municipal government for the North Slope of Alaska. Our Borough is the largest municipality in the United States in terms of acreage. It is the home-rule government for the eight communities within the 94,000 square miles of the Alaskan Arctic, north of the Brooks Mountain Range to the Arctic Ocean. It extends 650 miles east from Point Hope on the Chukchi Sea to the Canadian Border, and 225 miles south from Point Barrow, the most northern point in the State.
Our municipal government also provides support services to the oil field in Prudhoe Bay. Prudhoe Bay, the largest oil field in the United States, is located in the northeastern portion of the Borough. It is also the origination point of the 800 mile trans-Alaska pipeline which terminates at the city of Valdez on Prince William Sound. The 2011 populations of our villages ranged from under 300 in Pt. Lay to just over 4,800 in Barrow, the seat of our Borough government. We have approximately 7,840 residents, of which nearly 70 percent are Inupiat.
The Inupiaq people have lived in this region for thousands of years. Together we harvest the bounty of both the land, and the sea. Our people not only survive, but we thrive because of the wisdom and culture handed down from our Elders and previous generations.
As Mayor of the North Slope Borough and a Whaling Captain’s wife, I am humbled and honored to stand here today to look to the past and the future to help determine the future of oil and gas in the State of Alaska. The path that led us here to this point does not stop – it continues forward. The Borough has celebrated many successes over its 40 year history, and will continue to progress into the future. As a mother and a grandmother, I am very sensitive about making sure my children and grandchildren will not only survive, but will thrive and have all the blessings each of us here today have received from the great resources our Creator has provided for us.
As a Whaling Captain’s wife, I know only too well that our success depends on the coordinated efforts of many. As the Mayor, I know that the same is true as it relates to the economies of both our Borough and the State of Alaska.
Alaska is a destination for energy development, and I’m proud that the North Slope is the location where the resource is primarily located. The oil and gas fields on the North Slope are truly the economic engine of the state, supporting our state, tribal and local governments, education, our industry and our families.
We as Inupiat are tied to the land in a way which many on the outside looking in are not able to understand. Our traditions, our values, and our cultural identity are rooted in the subsistence lifestyle that has sustained us since time immemorial.
Residents of the North Slope have always viewed the world through a different cultural lens, and sometimes that leads others to conclude that we are anti-development. This is simply not the case. It takes time to create a level of trust between parties with different cultural and economic perspectives. If you examine the history of oil & gas on the North Slope, you can see many examples of safe and sustainable economic development conducted in a manner that does not negatively impact our lands or our traditional way of life. This is especially true with on-shore development.
One of the lessons that our subsistence lifestyle has taught us, is that working together is essential to the success of the group as a whole. This lesson is so important that cooperation is one of the Inupiat core values passed on to us by our ancestors.
The State of Alaska functions as a cooperative partner through their efforts to create and encourage investment in the oil and gas industry. But we must also look to our industry partners for their commitment to expand both their efforts and investment into our region. And in addition to their increased economic investment, we must continue to encourage that they continue to improve their commitment to safe, responsible, and sustainable development into the future.
I would now like to speak about the North Slope Borough’s efforts to work as a proactive member of the team. Our borough continues to provide efficient access to quality utility services. This is important to help meet the increased demand so we can all benefit from an economic revival in the oil patch.
The North Slope Borough recently announced that we are investing over the next year, $90 million in our Service Area 10 Utilities. I am proud of the efforts of my administration to identify unmet needs by working closely with industry, and as a result, they came up with a user-friendly design for the new utility plant that will be capable of producing the hot water required for drilling and maintenance operations.
The Borough’s efforts to expand our public utility service are far from over. Design efforts are also ongoing for an expansion of the Oxbow landfill, the development of waste stream reduction alternatives, and a coordinated metals recycling program. We are hoping to break ground on this project within the next twelve months. This too will represent a substantial investment in the health of the oil and gas industry on the part of the North Slope Borough.
Ever since oil production was initiated in Prudhoe Bay in the late 1960’s, we have lived with development in our back yard. Oil brought a lot of changes – some good and some bad – but most of our people believe the benefits have outweighed the challenges. Oil provided us with a tax base, which in turn gave us the foundation for a regional economy. The North Slope Borough is able to provide jobs for over 800 of our residents because of oil production, and our private-sector Native corporations are among the largest economic engines in the state.
The broad goal of the North Slope Borough has always been to maintain a healthy environment supporting Inupiat subsistence practices, while at the same time promoting economic growth and responsible resource development.
It is an exciting time with new activity in the Arctic, but also a time of concern. We have reminded the many visitors this summer that we are not just a battleground for competing agendas and propaganda. We have the most to lose from mistakes. We also have much to gain, if it is done right.
Photos: Service Area 10, Alaska North Slope, Groundbreaking Ceremony photos, September 4, 2013, Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant and Upgrated Oxbow solid waste disposal site with metal and recycling improvements.
(More photos coming….)
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