Posted on 11/30/2014 12:56:25 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
ANCHORAGE –
Government business in Alaska is pretty much open to the public, except when it comes to natural gas.
Lawmakers gathered at the Legislative Information Office in downtown Anchorage Friday, discussing information on the proposed Alaska liquified natural gas project.
The public was not invited.
Lawmakers who attended the hearing defended the action.
“We have an ongoing project that is closer that ever before at bringing the necessary parties together to make an Alaska North Slope pipeline happen,” said Rep. Mike Hawker.
Gov.-elect Bill Walker discussed the secret session with KTVA as the meeting took place.
“Public money is being spent, public resources,” Walker said. “I’m not a big fan of keeping the public away from what’s being done with their resources.”
The proposal involves building a gas treatment plant on the North Slope, along with 800 miles of pipeline to Nikiski. Tankers would then carry the liquified gas to Asian markets.
Alaska is teaming up with three major oil and gas producers and a Canadian company to build the project. The projected cost is close to $65 billion.
The spending does not end there: Lawmakers are also deciding whether to proceed with a second natural gas pipeline project.
That one would carry the fuel from Prudhoe Bay to major population centers around Fairbanks and Anchorage, and is estimated to cost around $8 billion.
Walker said only one project will be built.
“Funding is a tough situation right now,” he said. “Oil prices, where they are right now — we need to make sure we’re working with what we have.”
Walker is leaning toward getting rid of the cheaper project; something Hawker opposes.
“This large AKLNG project is still a very dicey proposition, what with global oil markets and commercial parties to reach agreements necessary,” Hawker said.
Not wanting Alaska to put its eggs in one basket, he and other lawmakers have left the door open to a compromise.
The only door closed is the one that prevented the public from getting the latest information on the natural gas project.
Does Alaska not have an Open Meetings Act?
This is just ongoing Alaska establishment corruption. The incoming Governor-elect Bill Walker was endorsed by Sarah Palin over the official Republican candidate because of Palin’s visceral hatred of such corruption.
Let’s hope that Walker eliminates some of this REGROWING corruption just as Sarah Palin did when she was Alaska governor and battled against such corruption.
This happens thousands of times a year across the country when teacher and other public employee unions have a contract negotiation. The unions negotiate with the politicians not the people panning the bills.
I’m of two minds on this.
If it was an “information” meeting, as the name of the office suggests, I can understand that the number of attendees was restricted. On the other hand, if a contract is issued, or legislation is enacted, without complete transparency to the public, that would be an outrage.
Thank you.
Well as my Dad (RIP) used to snark: “nothing’s too good for the taxpayers”
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