The Deadline Is Monday For Commenting On OCS; Please Do So HERE!

For the best analysis we’ve seen of the recent, Alaska legislative session, see CPA Dan Dickinson’s (NGP Photo-l) recent presentation, here, to the Anchorage Mayor’s Energy Task Force.  -dh

Fairbanks News Miner, by Christopher Eshleman.  Gov. Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) on Monday signed a bill that will beef up preparatory planning for a proposed intrastate natural gas pipeline.  … A handful of agencies, including the state Housing, Finance and Railroad corporations, will steer the project — and have millions of dollars at their disposal — with the goal of producing a report for the Legislature and developers to consider by summer 2011. … Parnell, addressing a crowd of about 100 construction workers and residents at the Pipeline Training Center off Van Horn Road, said he expects the work will result in “critical information” when the next Legislature considers its energy options. He said the in-state pipeline proposal is not in competition with energy companies’ efforts to build a larger pipeline in 10 years. …The bill sets aside $16 million for a new Joint In-State Gas Line Development Team, which will include the Natural Gas Development Authority and Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. That’s more than twice the amount Parnell’s original spending plan asked for to refine the bullet line proposal, and the bill cites the need for an “aggressive effort involving planning, permitting and coordination of information sharing.”   …he bill, a collaboration between House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, and Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage and co-sponsored by a small group of other lawmakers, cites 2016 as a target date for beginning operations on the pipeline.