FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Creamer’s Field Expansion Moves Forward; Natural Gas Proposal On Deck

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am going to be back home this weekend for the Interior Delegation’s annual community meeting. All of the Fairbanks area legislators will be there tomorrow Saturday (February 14) 11 am to 1 pm to hear from you at the Fairbanks Legislative Information Office (1292 Saddler Way)

Representative Wool with UAF student Anne Rittgers and professor Diane Benson who visited the Capitol this week

Creamer’s Field Bill Advances

On Wednesday the House Resources committee unanimously voted to advance my bill (House Bill 70) to expand Creamer’s Field Refuge. This bill would add four piece of land already owned by the state to the refuge. The state already manages this land as part of Creamer’s Field and this bill updates the law to allow the Department of Fish and Game to fully integrate this land into the refuge.

I knew Creamer’s Field was an important Fairbanks landmark, but in researching this bill I was surprised to learn just how many things go on at Creamer’s Field. With all of the diverse recreational activities like bird watching, hunting, trapping, mushing, cross country skiing, skijoring, orienteering, geocaching, and hiking, I’m sure everyone in Fairbanks has their own story about Creamer’s Field. And of course, Creamer’s Field is home to the annual Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival and Camp Habitat where hundreds of Fairbanks youth (including my daughters) go to summer camp.

Representative Wool with chief of staff David Dunsmore presenting House Bill 70 to the Resources Committee

Energy Committee to Hear Interior Gas Plan

On Tuesday my House Energy Committee colleagues and I will be hearing Governor Walker’s proposal to bring natural gas to Fairbanks. This bill would allow the state to pursue bringing gas from Cook Inlet near Anchorage if a deal cannot be worked out to bring gas from the North Slope. My priorities are to make sure we can get gas to Fairbanks as soon as possible, and that it needs to be affordable enough to be a real savings from using heating oil and diesel. I will send out more information next week after this hearing.

As always, please send me your thoughts, ideas, and concerns.

Sincerely,

Representative Adam Wool