Returning From Washington…

 …inspired again by our Founders’ success and sobered by our responsibility to sustain their vision!

Today–freshly returned from Washington, D.C.–your author (NGP Photo) has the honor of being a guest on KFQD radio this afternoon at 2 p.m. with Mary Ann Pease (NGP Photo).  There are plenty of issues for us to explore–all related to the sustainability of the American experiment and threats to the Alaskan economy.  Jason Brune of the Resource Development Council for Alaska will be on the show next week with more details about the important, upcoming BOEMRE hearing!  If you miss the show, you can find the podcast tonight here.   -dh  

On that subject, register here for, "The Future of Alaska’s Economy", a forum organized by radio talk show host, Dan Fagan.  The forum is Wednesday, March 16 at the Hotel Captain Cook, Noon – 1:30.  The all-star cast will include Wendy King (ConocoPhillips), Marc Langland (North Rim Bank), Ralph Samuels (Former legislator), Mayor Dan Sullilvan and Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell.

And…don’t forget the Arctic Gas Symposium in Calgary, March 2-3, featuring an international cast of Arctic gas project and northern energy experts including Alaska Senator Lesil McGuire (NGP Photo) and Aboriginal Pipeline Group President Bob Reid (NGP photo).

ADN Editorial: In his Web Note "How Much Should Alaska Save?" economist Scott Goldsmith (NGP Photo-l) has two warnings for Alaskans. He backs them with numbers and delivers them calmly.  One is immediate. According to Goldsmith’s analysis for UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, proposed 2012 state spending draws about $500 million more of North Slope oil wealth than the amount — $5 billion — that allows for sustained wealth for the foreseeable future. Given assumptions about oil reserves, prices, population growth and rates of return, that $5 billion take will allow us to meet present needs and provide for Alaskans to come.  We can spend and invest more if we like, but to stay on track the "more" should come from other sources than the North Slope oil revenue engine.  The idea, best expressed in the Permanent Fund, is to continue the transformation of a significant share of nonrenewable oil wealth into renewable financial wealth.  The second warning comes near the end of Goldsmith’s analysis, when he notes that Alaska has done well in striking the balance between present and future, spending and savings. So what’s to warn about?  "… (O)ur apparent success at wealth preservation has been largely due to good luck. We appear to be on track today because prices, production and oil revenues have all been higher than we anticipated. Of course if future revenues turn out to be less than we expect today, we will fall off the wealth preserving path."  (Read Goldsmith’s Complete Report Here.  -dh)

Please Don’t Forget To Attend The Big, History Changing Hearing A Week From Tomorrow (Or, read about it here and learn how to comment in writing if you can’t attend or are one of our 80% of non-Anchorage readers)!

Daily Planet by Tom Brennan (NGP Photo-r).  It’s time to give the EPA its walking papers. The Environmental Protection Agency has been the 800-pound gorilla wreaking havoc in Alaska’s economy for far too long.  The gorilla should be given a blue ticket and sent down the Alaska Highway with another federal agency under each arm. (That’s probably a mixed metaphor since the “blue ticket” was originally a southbound steamship ticket given to undesirables being kicked out of the Alaska Territory. Later it was applied to airplane tickets issued for the same purpose.)  I wrote a novel — "The Snowflake Rebellion" — about Alaska rebelling against federal misbehavior in the 49th State, and eventually seceding. But the transgressions I used as justification don’t really compare to the latest actions by federal agencies.   ….  (See our earlier story on Tom’s book.  -dh)