Croft Gasline Update #2

Note: I and my staff will be sending these gasline updates on various aspects of the contract over the next few weeks, to give Alaskans more information about this important topic. Please feel free to forward this to other people who you think would be interested - Eric

CROFT ACCEPTS GOVERNOR'S
DEBATE OFFER

Gasline Now vs. Stranded Gas Contract
on Statewide Radio

I have agreed to debate Governor Murkowski on live statewide radio this Wednesday morning. Last Thursday, at a press conference, the Governor attacked my Alaska Gasline Now Act as an alternative to his draft stranded gas contract, and offered to debate the relative merits of the two proposals.

The Gasline Now Act initiative would charge oil companies a reserves tax for failing to build a natural gas pipeline, and is on the November general election ballot. The penalty would go away when the gasline is built and the oil companies would get a credit to recover the payments. Over 47,000 Alaskans signed the initiative petition to place the plan on the ballot.

The debate will be at 10 am on the statewide Alaska Public Radio Network. The Governor and I will be joined by the initiative's co-sponsors, Representatives Harry Crawford (D-Anchorage) and David Guttenberg (D-Fairbanks), in a roundtable discussion moderated by Dave Donaldson. The public is encouraged to call in.

I believe the contract released this week is a bad deal. There is no gasline in this contract, and Alaskans are being asked to give up all their rights. We have a real alternative that provides a hard incentive to build the line and build it now.