Big News From Many Directions!!!!!

Calgary Herald: On the eve of an expected federal approval on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, Minister of Industry Bob McLeod (NGP Photo) said the Conservative government should pay heed to proponents of the $16.5-billion project requesting loan guarantees to backstop the massive project.

 

1.  Yesterday, we noted the Obama Administration attack on Alaska’s economy continues under guise of new conservation policies for ANWR and development of new ‘ocean policies‘.  (Please scroll down).  Also, yesterday (Alaska Dispatch by Patti Epler), A federal judge has thrown out the state’s case against the federal government over whether or not a moratorium on Arctic offshore oil drilling had been put in place by the Obama administration.

2.  Today we hear that the Federal Government may restrict more human activity in deference to changing habits of the large walrus population.  (See the Anchorage Daily News AP story by Dan Joling)

3.  Last Friday, the big Sheraton Anchorage Ballroom bulged with a huge crowd of oil and gas industry employers and vendors.  (See our story here.)  See Alaska Support Industry Alliance President Mark Hylen (NGP Photo, above-r) and others focus attention on Federal overreaching action in Alaska and the need to improve Alaska’s investment climate. (Story still in progress….)

4.  NGP Report, by Dave Harbour: Yesterday, before the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, two of Alaska’s new commissioners described the Parnell Administration’s focus on creating a healthy, sustainable economy for Alaskans by aggressively addressing natural resource, investment climate and federal overreach challenges.  

Chairman Bill Evans (NGP Photo-r) opened the meeting with an introduction of new member Alex Roesch (NGP Photo-l), owner of Buzz Job Coffee Co., them moved swiftly into the program, introducing Commissioner of Revenue Bryan Butcher and Fish and Game Commissioner Cora Campbell (NGP Photos below).

Campbell began by emphasizing the contributions of commercial and sport fishing activities to Alaska’s economy.  "Commercial fishing and seafood processing," she said, "is one of Alaska’s largest employers."  She noted that sport fishing contributed over a billion dollars per year of economic activity and had enormous employment impact when combined with hunting and fishing guide services.  She observed that such activity, along with wildlife viewing make Alaska a destination for visitors.

Campbell pointed out that Alaskans are passionate about their fish and wildlife resources, noted the important role subsistence played in the state’s culture, and said that the department would focus on properly managing the resources for all citizens.  This would include a continuing defense against federal overreach into the state’s fish and wildlife management and identifying species of fish that, while regarded as by-catches in Alaska, could be marketed to other parts of the world.

Butcher first emphasized the good economic positioning of Alaska compared with other states: our nearly $40 billion permanent fund and some $12 billion in additional savings along with a higher than national percentage of employment.  These factors are magnified by the absence of a statewide sales tax, personal income tax and a high bond rating which reduces the cost of borrowing.  

"One of the positives of having a good economy," Butcher said, "is the opportunity to carefully plan for the future."   He stated that Alaska will, "…always be an oil state…," but noted that while the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) used to provide the country with over 20% of its domestic oil supply, a seven percent annual decline in throughput required that the state place a top priority on increasing the amount of oil flowing through TAPS.  One of the ways of achieving this goal, he said, was to amend the 2007 production tax law in a way that attracts more oil and gas exploration and development on state lands.