Senate Rejects ANGDA Funding
Amendment would have supported spur line development

Juneau - The Senate defeated an amendment offered by members of the Senate Minority Oil and Gas Team today that would have secured funding for the on-going efforts of the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority.

The amendment would have added $4,528,000 to Senate Bill 82, which makes supplemental appropriations for efforts to commercialize North Slope gas. The additional funding would have gone to ANGDA to evaluate all natural gas pipeline projects to assure in-state access to Alaska residents.

“I’m tremendously disappointed that the amendment for the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority didn’t pass today. More than 62 percent of Alaskans voted to establish ANGDA to work on projects such as a spur line,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, who co-sponsored the amendment. “If we fail to fund ANGDA this year the corporation may be out of resources, then we have no alternatives to lay on the table.”

During the floor debate today it was suggested that ANGDA still has access to an earlier appropriation of approximately $2.2 million. However, the majority of that appropriation has been expended or obligated.

“If we don’t do something to alleviate the shortage of gas and provide a spur line down to Southcentral, we are dead in the water unless we have additional large commercial gas finds in Cook Inlet. This is the only organization looking at a spur line to feed Southcentral at this time, and I don’t want to see that process stopped,” Wagoner said.

“The clear purpose of the amendment was to continue the good work done by ANGDA so far on developing a spur line concept to deliver natural gas to the Mat-Su, Anchorage and Kenai areas of the state,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole.

Approved by more than 62 percent of Alaskans who voted in 2002, ANGDA is a public corporation dedicated to bringing North Slope gas to market, while ensuring maximum benefit to Alaskans.

“I clearly remember that part of the discussion at the time of the vote was that ANGDA may be the vehicle to get access to the gas for Alaskans’ use,” said Therriault, who noted that the voter initiative creating ANGDA passed by more than 70 percent in his district.

Please Note: Sound actualities from Sens. Tom Wagoner and Gene Therriault can be downloaded from the following links:
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007031401a.mp3
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007031402a.mp3
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/wagoner2007031401a.mp3