Senators Report on Washington D.C. Trip
Oil & Gas Team meets with FERC chairman and pipeline coordinator
Juneau – The Senate Republican Caucus Oil & Gas Team returned recently from a five-day trip to our nation’s capital, where they met with federal and other officials on energy issues vital to Alaska.
“We wanted to seize every opportunity possible during the simultaneous meetings of the Energy Council and Pacific NorthWest Economic Region to distribute information regarding Gov. Palin’s gas line proposal, to answer questions, and to address misinformation that may be circulating among the other states,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole. “We made every effort to coordinate with our colleagues from the House and Senate to put forward a unified statement of Alaska’s position.”
During their trip March 7 to March 11, Sen. Therriault focused on meeting with federal officials and regulators, while Sen. Fred Dyson took advantage of contacts he has made over the years with PNWER participants. Sen. Tom Wagoner, who is a member of the Center for Legislative Energy and Environmental Research, concentrated on Energy Council issues.
The Energy Council is a legislative organization of ten energy-producing states ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, with three international affiliates: the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the province of Alberta and the nation of Venezuela. Its purpose is to promote a balanced national energy strategy and related environmental policies; to foster an understanding of energy and its role in the global economy and environment; to provide resources to assist member legislators in leading their states’ policymaking efforts on energy and related environmental issues; and to initiate dialogues with policymakers, at all levels, on energy and related environmental matters.
PNWER is a Partnership of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, and Yukon aimed at creating beneficial public policy to promote the region.
The attached report covers the highlights of the trip, and is not meant to be exhaustive.
http://www.aksenateminority.com/pdfs/25/energy_council_report.pdf
