French and Gara concerned by recent federal permitting delay
Today, Senator Hollis French and Representative Les Gara (both D-Anchorage) sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulators urging the agencies to ensure timely issuance of necessary wetlands and other permits, so that work can begin at the Point Thomson Unit this winter.
Read More →Would You Like Some Facts With Your Hyperbole, Sir?
It hasn’t surprised me to hear some of the claims on the oil tax debate this past year. The implication is that those who didn’t support the Governor’s $2 billion giveaway (which allows companies to take our tax dollars and spend them outside Alaska if they wish) are happy with the status quo. Horsepucky. Hey, did you know there is no computer spell check for horsepucky? Well, that’s not important. Anyway, no one in the Legislature voted for the status quo. NO ONE.
Read More →Legislator calls for increased federal permitting capacity to keep local energy solutions on track
Today, Representative Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) questioned whether Southcentral energy supplies would be delayed due to a lack of permitting capacity in federal agencies in charge of issuing Cook Inlet oil and gas permits. Citing Apache Corp.’s recent decision to suspend its Cook Inlet exploration due to delayed federal permits, Rep. Gardner called on Alaska’s congressional delegation to work with federal agencies to review whether staffing in the Kenai offices of these agencies needs to be increased to keep up with the resurgence of energy exploration in Cook Inlet.
Read More →I hope you are weathering the continuing intense windstorms which we have been experiencing. These storms were very unusual for this time of year, so it is important that we learn from them so we can be prepared as best as possible in the future.
This Monday, September 24, from 10:00 a.m. to Noon I will be participating in a hearing hosted by the Senate State affairs committee to discuss the topic of emergency preparedness and wind storms.
Read More →The National Weather Service has warned that a high wind watch is now in effect from Saturday evening through late Sunday night in Anchorage. We can expect southeast winds along Turnagain Arm and the Hillside with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour. The rest of Anchorage may experience winds of 35 to 50 miles per hour with possible gusts of 65 miles per hour.
The recent windstorm that struck the city serves as a strong reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness. I hope you will take a moment to look over the following information which will help you prepare for an emergency.
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