Posted on 03/11/2010 8:39:54 AM PST by Al B.
Legislative opponents of Trans-Canada Corp.'s state-backed natural gas pipeline project stripped much of the money Gov. Sean Parnell has sought for the state's role in pushing it forward from the budget adopted by the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.
Finance Co-chair Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage, acknowledged that it was a "substantial reduction" but said money could be provided later and was not an attack on the pipeline.
Parnell said he would continue to seek the money that was cut.
House Democrats who had backed the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act under which Trans-Canada had won state support criticized the cuts as an attack on the gasline.
At a press conference Tuesday, House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, warned the Legislature could stall as pro-industry representatives attempt to reopen fights over gas pipeline and oil tax issues from the last few years.
"We're headed for some kind of meltdown," she said.
The money Parnell requested would have been used by the Departments of Law, Revenue and Natural Resources for the state's role in moving toward a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certificate for the Alaska Pipeline Project. The project is sponsored by Trans-Canada with partner ExxonMobil under AGIA. A competing pipeline sponsored by ConocoPhillips and BP also is in the works.
Hawker denied anything "skulduggerous" was happening in an attempt to stop the Trans-Canada effort to which he had earlier opposed. He said the move was a reaction to Alaskans who have let him know they wanted more scrutiny on the issue.
(Excerpt) Read more at juneauempire.com ...
Mike Hawker, charter member of Alaska's 'Corrupt Bastards Club', wants to cut funding for the project. His aide, PDS-afflicted Larry Persily, is leaving to take a position in the Obama Administration. Some think there is a game afoot to kill the project.
Related info:
Mike Hawker, One Lucky Lying "Corrupt Bastard"
Is Barack Obama Actively Trying To Kill Sarah Palin’s Natural Gas Pipeline?
Parnell is a joke too, Palin set him right up to waltz into power, all he had to do was continue her policy of truth, and now he's screwing the dog. I sure hope it doesn't take another generation to get a good governor.
I noticed everything starting to fall apart about 3 months back, called Parnell's office and they gave me the run around like I would expect from Begich's office. So I called my local state rep who believe it or not is a Dem Indian from a downriver village but honorable guy. They filled me in on what was going on. They said it was all about oil trying to lower their tax structure, something Palin was always able to put them back in their place on. Truth be told, oil pays less than they do over much of the globe in taxes. Up here, oil is why we don't have numerous state taxes. Maybe we should just give them the oil for free or pay them to take that filthy oil out of the ground, but that wouldn't even make them happy I figure.
I'm sure not voting for parnell in the primary and I hear all the other repub candidates are bought and payed for by big oil too. Guess, I'll have to change to AIP once again which I hate doing. Dang I wish Palin was still here.
Too bad. Thanks for all those details.
Plus I figure that Obama and his clean energy czars would just love to kill the pipeline project as a way of getting back at Sarah. If it goes through, it will be thought of as her accomplishment, and they don’t want that. They also don’t want anything that leads us toward energy independence.
This project should not require government funding.
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