See special Op-ed and related stories, 6-30-09, and our 7-15-09 related story below.  -dh

 

 

 

7-15-09.  Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) appeared before the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Monday along with other members of the business community.  Parnell briefed members on his succession plans.  Bill Popp (NGP Photo), President of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, briefed members on findings of the "Anchorage Industrial Land Assessment", providing a sober outlook on Anchorage’s capacity for expansion.  Assembly Member Debbie Ossiander (NGP Photo-r) addressed the extensive history of Anchorage land planning and community development efforts.  Anchorage Real Estate broker and ADN columnist, Chris Stephens (NGP Photo-lower left) provided additional reason for concern, citing other factors which disqualified ‘available land’ from practical industrial or commercial use.  One could conclude from these presentations that as Anchorage looks to an uncertain future, the challenges are many and some revolve around land availability.  If a gas pipeline and/or OCS development proceed, community leaders will face a shortage of developable land in this land-locked economic capital of America’s largest state.  If a large project does not come, a bigger burden of government cost will fall on a smaller cohort of business taxpayers whose opportunities for expansion may be more economically feasible in Seattle than Anchorage, particularly those involved in distribution activity.  -dh (Event photos.)       *     UPI-dot-com.  Bud Fackrell, president of Denali, writes in the Anchorage Daily News that his company has made "significant progress" on the Alaskan gas pipeline despite the economic recession.     *    China View.  A recent report concluded that violent acts against Canada’s oil and gas industry will likely continue in the future, but the disruptions will unlikely happen in an organized way unless separate groups come together, a local daily reported Tuesday.  The report from the Canadian Defense and Foreign Affairs Institute was sponsored by Nexen Inc., an energy company based in the Canadian western city of Calgary, the Calgary Herald reported.     It was completed before the pipeline owned by Calgary-based energy giant EnCana in western Canada was hit by two bombings in four days early Tuesday morning. However, author and political scientist Tom Flanagan says his conclusions still hold true.    *    Calgary Herald by Dan Healing.  Who knew that Peter Lougheed was in the commodity price forecasting game?  In a speech aimed frequently at the the out-of-towners at  the 18th Convocation of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences at the Westin on Tuesday morning, the former premier of Alberta said oil prices will jump, if not back to the all-time high of $147 US per barrel hit last summer.     *     Alaska.  A U.S. District Court judge has granted the motion by the State of Alaska to intervene in a case in which the Native Village of Point Hope seeks to rescind dozens of leases issued by the federal government under an off-shore oil and gas lease sale conducted for federal waters in the Chukchi Sea.  When the state’s motion was filed last month, Attorney General Dan Sullivan underscored the need “to vigilantly safeguard and defend Alaska’s interests, particularly as they relate to economic opportunities for Alaskans and the balance of state and federal rights and responsibilities.”  For further information please contact Steve DeVries (NGP Photo) at (907) 269-5100.    (Comment:  Here we find the State of Alaska struggling to maintain its ability to economically survive, through the fine work of its new Attorney General and one of the State’s brightest legal studies, Steve DeVris.  Their efforts on behalf of all citizens are being challenged by a handful of coastal residents who are even more dependent on oil and gas activity than urban residents, because of their local budgets which depend on taxation of Arctic oil and gas property.  Yet they and certain extremist environmental organizations hold the state’s economy hostage through divisive and unnecessary litigation.  Now comes our new U.S. Senator, Mark Begich, who argues that Federal Law should establish an Arctic Regional Citizens Advisory Council — further frustrating reasonable economic development — because these selfsame northern coastal residents need a ‘voice’ in Arctic oil and gas development.  Baloney.  The Northern coastal residents are not without voice and power.  They are great landowners and corporate shareholders by virtue of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.  Their corporations receive taxpayer subsidized, 8(a) set aside Federal contracts.  State and Federal welfare programs in the area are ubiquitous.  All onshore oil and gas property in the coastal areas–whether used for on- or off-shore activity–is subject to local, borough property taxes.  Oil and gas funds employment, schools, public safety and more.  In fact, Oil and Gas funds the very ‘Culture’ so prized by Arctic residents.  The Northern Boroughs and villages themselves receive various Federal and State subsidies. 

Without Alask oil and gas activity–which is now declining–the Arctic would be an economic wasteland.  And yet, some of these selfish, local interests continue with outside environmental, orchestrated help to seek additional advantage with lawsuits and with new, Senator Begich-sponsored legislation.  This is too much.  This is economic suicide.  This madness must stop.  And, it will stop: either because wise and disciplined leaders stop it before further damage can be done to the U.S. and Alaska economies, or when the result of the madness brings our society–including the selfish perpetrators–to its knees.  -dh)