The Alaska House Republican Caucus is calling on the Democrat-controlled State Senate to place “urgent focus” on approving a clean gasline bill that can provide immediate, reliable and affordable energy for those living along the Alaska Railbelt.
In a July 15 challenge, the GOP lawmakers highlighted that the aim of House Bill 381 is to address a pending energy crisis for residents stretching from the Kenai Peninsula through Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley up to Fairbanks – home to more than 70% of Alaska’s population.
House Republicans note that local utilities have repeatedly warned that the region faces a critical natural gas shortage within the next few years, adding that House Bill 381, which creates an alternative volumetric tax structure to help launch the Alaska LNG project, was designed to solve this crisis.
Lawmakers are currently in their second special session of the summer, both of which were called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, with the specific goal of passing a gasline bill.
We cannot afford to keep saying no to this project.
On June 12, the House passed what it considers to be a robust, workable version of HB 381 with a strong bipartisan 34-5 vote. The House-passed version secures the project’s viability and includes a vital provision capping gas prices specifically to protect Railbelt consumers.
Recent changes to the bill on the Senate side, however, have stalled progress, threatening to derail the project in favor of heavy government taxes.
“We cannot lose sight of why we are here,” said Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, a member of the HB 381 Conference Committee. “This isn’t about state government squeezing every last penny out of a pipeline that hasn’t even been built yet.”
The House Republican plan replaces complex, unpredictable local property taxes with a stable alternative volumetric tax. This predictability is exactly what investors claim they need to finance the massive 807-mile pipeline. Phase one of the project is specifically structured to deliver North Slope gas directly to Southcentral Alaska by 2032, plus a spur line to Fairbanks, to resolve the Railbelt supply gap.
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“For decades, we have talked about bringing North Slope gas to Alaskan homes,” said Minority Leader Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer. “We have the resources right under our feet. House Republicans worked tirelessly to craft a predictable tax framework that actually gets this pipeline built so we can lower energy costs for our families and protect our local economies.”
Rep. Will Stapp (R-Fairbanks) noted that failure to pass a clean bill will create project delays and possible loss of investors.
“The people of Fairbanks have been living the reality of high energy costs that have been suffocating our community for years,” he said. “We cannot afford to keep saying no to this project. We urge the House and Senate Majorities to prioritize the energy needs of all Alaskans over government take.”
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to contact the 14 members of the Alaska Senate Majority, which includes five Republicans: Senators Gary Stevens, Jesse Bjorkman, Cathy Giessel, Kelly Merrick and Bert Stedman.
1 Comment
All fine and good until you realize that the pain is the point. For whatever reason these five turncoats have gotten into bed with the radicals. These radicals are not serious people. They may outwardly say whatever to advance their agenda but it is never what it seems. The radicals do not want ANY development. And they have convinced the useful idiot turncoats to support them .