Anchorage-Fairbanks Wind Farms Court Partners

By |2016-03-13T03:57:26-09:00April 24th, 2011|Alternate Energy|

ADN by Rosemary Shinohara.  In months of trying, backers of the Fire Island wind farm haven't been able to sign up any utilities as customers.  Jim Posey (NGP Photo), head of city-owned Municipal Light and Power, says ML&P can get a better deal elsewhere, even if it comes down to importing liquefied natural gas to spin its generator turbines.  Chugach Electric Association is seriously negotiating for a wind contract, say officials of Cook Inlet Region Inc., sponsor of the Fire Island project. Chugach officials, saying their negotiations are confidential, declined [...]

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Happy Earth Day; and, Don’t Forget Energy Day 2011! – Feds Waste Money on Environmental Propaganda Program Kicking Off Today

By |2016-12-22T22:33:54-09:00April 22nd, 2011|Commentary, Federal Obstruction, Global Warming|

From: fws-news-bounces@lists.fws.gov [mailto:fws-news-bounces@lists.fws.gov] On Behalf Of FWS News and Information Sent: Monday, April 18, 2011 2:03 PM To: fws-news@lists.fws.gov Subject: [fws-news] The Climate of Conservation in America: 50 Stories in 50States **************************************************************  Contact: David Eisenhauer 703-358-2284 David_Eisenhauer@fws.gov The Climate of Conservation in America: 50 Stories in 50 States Starting this Earth Day, April 22, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will launch a series of 50 stories for 50 consecutive weekdays that will explore the many ways accelerating climate change is impacting or may impact fish and wildlife across America. No geographic region [...]

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Exxon Joins ConocoPhillips and BP On Investment Climate Position

By |2016-12-22T22:33:55-09:00April 21st, 2011|Alaska Taxes|

Last week, ConocoPhillips and BP leaders adopted investment climate/tax reform positions supporting passage of HB 110 in the Alaska legislature.  Our friend, Bill Brackin of ExxonMobil provides a copy of the position paper below, signed by EM Production Company President Rich Kruger (NGP Photo):                        UNITE FOR A BRIGHT ALASKAN FUTURE    Alaska remains full of opportunity and promise. From the very first     Native Alaskans to all the citizens who live and work in the state    today, Alaska's challenges have been met by those willing to look beyond    the [...]

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A Porsche at Prudhoe? – Kenai LNG Still Shipping to Japan – State Pays Exxon for Gasline Work – Southeast Alaska Plans Energy Conference

By |2016-12-22T22:33:55-09:00April 21st, 2011|AGIA|

Regina Leader-Post by Howard J. Elmer.  A group of Italian Porsche enthusiasts dreamed up the trip I'm on right now. ... The trip they planned started in Vancouver, headed north to Whitehorse, where I've joined the tour; it will now carry on north to the edge of the continent at Deadhorse, Alaska, on Prudhoe Bay. That's the why of my trip. And which are the two closest towns to the beginning and end of this journey? Whitehorse and Deadhorse. I have to hope the names are simply a coincidence and not [...]

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State Senate Blocks Oil Tax Reform and Now Blocks The Budget

By |2016-12-22T22:33:55-09:00April 20th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|

ADN by Sean Cockerham.  Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo-L) sent a letter to legislators blaming the Senate for the logjam. The governor's office then confirmed that Parnell is not going to negotiate with the Senate over what projects he may or may not veto. That closes what senators thought could be an exit out of the special session.  "Writing a letter like this is like throwing a bomb down the chimney," said Sitka Republican Sen.Bert Stedman (NGP Photo-R).  Stedman said Parnell earlier expressed openness to talking about projects and working out a deal. [...]

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Senator Mark Begich Has The Right Idea But Beware the Potholes!

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 19th, 2011|Commentary, Federal Obstruction, Federal Progress|

Commentary.  As reported in the The Alaska Dispatch today by Patti Epler, Senator Mark Begich is proposing legislation creating a Federal Coordinator to expedite Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exploration and development in federal waters (S.843).  The model for this is not new, first designed as a "Federal Inspector" position with passage of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1976, then recreated as a "Federal Coordinator" position in the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act of 2004.   -dh  When the concept first appeared we commented and, while we credit Senator Begich for [...]

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Can Alaska’s Legislators Learn From Canadian Provinces? Will They Act In Time To Save Alaska’s Economy? Right Now, The Odds Don’t Look Good.

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 19th, 2011|Uncategorized|

We support the Alaska Business Report Card project designed to save Alaska's economy.  It will be interesting to see the result this year.  -dh Comment: Can Alaskan legislators -- presiding over a dying economy of their own making --.learn from others' mistakes?  We think not, for "Experience is a dear teacher; fools will learn at no other" (B. Franklin),  If we are right, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemed to repeat it." (G. Santayana)  However, since "Hope Springs Eternal..." (A. Pope), we offer decision makers who are opposing [...]

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Scott Hawkins Has It Right!

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 18th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|

Our Canadian Friends face pro- and anti-development struggles in the North as well.  See this Globe and Mail Story by Nathan Vanderklippe. Commentary:  Our thanks to Alaska entrepreneur-economist Scott Hawkins for this summary of our current investment climate 'fix'.  Earlier this weekend I wrote the following comment in response to intrasigence of legislators bent on keeping their ill gotten gains at the expense of Alaska's future: "The Senate Fiddles While Rome Burns. Senators hurriedly constructed ACES in a month of chaos, but to modify it after years of proven failure [...]

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Another Big Rally Yesterday For Tax Reform! – House Speaker Resists Senate Power Play

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 15th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary, Personal|

Here is Keith Silver's (NGP Photo-L) testimony to the Alaska Legislature about how he was laid off from his position on the North Slope.   He explains that it's not just his job that was lost.  North Slope investment losses trickle down to the support staff in Anchorage as well.   ADN by Richard Mauer.  In a lunchtime address and rally on Thursday billed by the Make Alaska Competitive Coalition as BP's chance to present "specific commitments" should the cuts pass, John Minge (NGP Photo-R) was short on details -- he [...]

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4-13-11 Monday, The State Senate President Argued For An Unsustainable Economy, Subsidized By Predatory Taxes…. Tuesday, Senators Agreed On An Unsustainable $3 billion in Capital Spending. Now, Legislators Want A New Building For Themselves

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 13th, 2011|ACES, Alaska Taxes, Alaska's Fiscal Crisis, Commentary|

Three Comments: Alaska's Unsustainable Economy Is Based On Predatory Taxes And Wasteful Spending by Dave Harbour (See TransCanada's Newest Edition of "Update Magazine") Comment 1 of 3:  Here's a concept: a gasline can only materialize when the markets call for construction and when investors believe they will make a reasonable return on and of their investments.  Since the three major Alaska North Slope producers are the major potential gas pipeline investors, they must believe that their Alaskan assets are safe from unpredictable expropriation by Alaska through imposition of future, predatory tax policies. [...]

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Senate President Supports High Oil Taxes – Tom Brennan Offers Economics 101 For Legislators Who Listen….

By |2016-03-13T04:07:17-09:00April 12th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|

Comment:  Anchorage Daily Planet's Tom Brennan (NGP Photo) has offered the Alaska Senate an important lesson on Alaska oil investment economics 101.    We have already commented at length on the importance of moderating Alaska's predatory oil tax investment climate.  Senator Stevens' approach (below) is obviously to sqeeze every drop of blood possible out of today's turnip, leaving no incentive for investors that would sustain an economy for future generations of Alaskans.  Between Stevens' anti-investment climate position and Obama's job killing policies Alaska's economy this week is much closer to the [...]

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Knowles Helps Educate Alaskans On Economics 101 – We Return From San Antonio

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 11th, 2011|Uncategorized|

     "We Need to Encourage More Oil Production"                        An ADN Op-Ed Piece                                        by Tony Knowles (NGP Photo), Former Governor   In 1968, after school and the Army, I was working on an oil drilling rig in California. My employer had drilled the Prudhoe Bay discovery well and offered me a job in Alaska. Just married, Susan and I came to [...]

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Feds Continue Alaska Shutdown With Beluga Designation – Our San Antonio Photo Assignment Continues

By |2016-03-13T04:00:28-09:00April 9th, 2011|Uncategorized|

What a joy it has been to do this pleasant assignment in the Alamo city (NGP Photo)!  Home soon.... ADN, by Richard Mauer.  Federal fishery managers on Friday designated large stretches of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for endangered beluga whales, leading to an outcry from political and business leaders that the regional economy will be strangled.  ...  "That means no construction, drilling or dredging," House Speaker Mike Chenault said in a statement. "We were hoping to see the benefit of state participation in (oil) drilling this summer. Now? It's [...]

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Another Successful Rally for Tax Reform! – Continuing Our Photo Assignment: Fiesta San Antonio!

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 8th, 2011|Alaska Taxes|

ADN by Richard Mauer.  The head of ConocoPhillips Phillips responded to critics of the governor's oil tax break Thursday, pledging to increase investments by up to $5 billion in existing North Slope fields if the new tax rules take effect. On special assignment this week to photograph Fiesta San Antonio, we realize this is the historic, 175th Anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo (NGP Photo).   Today, Texans "Remember the Alamo" in an inclusive sense, with all segments of the population celebrating the rich history of freedom and independence symbolized by the Alamo.  [...]

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