Democrats Push for Hearing on Oil Tax Credit Accountability
“Alaskans need to know what we got for our four billion dollar North Slope investment”
JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) called for a hearing on two bills designed to provide Alaskans more information on the State’s North Slope investments. The bills will help Alaskans know if our massive investments are meeting our twin goals of more oil in the pipeline and more jobs for Alaskans. Recent testimony puts the state’s investment at over $4 billion over the last five years.
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Rep. Gara to State: Permit Cannot Ignore Destruction of Salmon Stream
Gara calls on state to scrap flawed ruling that salmon and trout stream can be “rebuilt”
Today, Representative Les Gara called on the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reverse its ruling that concluded the proposed Chuitna coal project is consistent with the state’s “Unsuitable Lands” law.
“Their proposal states they will completely remove at least 11 miles of wild salmon spawning and rearing habitat for a period of 25 years; digging down at least 300 feet below the streambed, thereby destroying not only the streambed but also the underlying functions that support a salmon stream and permanently impacting the water quality for all downstream reaches of the Chuitna,” said Rep. Gara, an avid fisherman and fishing writer.
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Democrats’ Bill to Extend Voting by Mail Passes Committee
Bill would make it easier for seniors, rural Alaskans and people with disabilities to vote
JUNEAU – Representative Max Gruenberg’s bill to make voting by mail easier passed the House State Affairs Committee today. The bill would allow all Alaskans the same right as military and overseas voters whose applications to vote by mail remain effective for two general elections (up to four years).
“Participating in our democracy is a right of citizenship,” said Rep. Gruenberg (D-Anchorage), “and it should not be made difficult or inconvenient. Reducing the paperwork to vote by mail makes it easier for Alaskans to vote, especially those who have a hard time getting to their polling place.”
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Rep. Miller Calls for Facts on Getting Cook Inlet Gas to Fairbanks
If gas is there, it could be the cheapest, fastest way to lower Fairbanks energy costs
JUNEAU – Today, Representative Bob Miller (D-Fairbanks) introduced legislation (HB 308) to study the potential for meeting Fairbanks and Interior energy needs by building a small-diameter natural gas pipeline from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks.
“If there’s as much gas there as some think, a small pipeline from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks could be the cheapest, fastest long-term solution for lowing energy costs in Fairbanks,” said Rep. Miller. “But we won’t know unless we do our homework first.”
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Democrats Work to End Unlimited Campaign Spending
Legislation would make Alaska a leader in national effort to rein in big-money politics
(JUNEAU) – Today, 13 House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation aimed at scaling back rules allowing corporations, wealthy donors, and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money, sometimes in the millions, to get candidates elected. Companion resolutions (HJR 33 and SJR 13) introduced today in the Alaska House and Senate call for a federal constitutional amendment to reverse the Citizens United case that opened the corporate and union campaign spending floodgates. A separate House bill would return Alaska’s right to limit corporate contributions by making corporations not considered “persons” for purposes of Alaska election law.
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