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Attorney General Sullivan to head DNR Gov. Parnell picks Sullivan as commissioner of Natural Resources, replacing Irwin; no new AG named; Hartig stays at DEC Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell announced the first of his cabinet picks Nov. 18 at the Resource Development Council for Alaska’s annual conference. Parnell took over in mid-2009 after Gov. Sarah Palin resigned and he retained the Palin cabinet. Parnell won election in his own right Nov. 9 and after the election asked for resignations from all commissioners, deputy commissioners and division heads — along with letters of interest for those who wished to stay in the administration.
Among others, Parnell accepted resignations from DNR Commissioner Tom Irwin and Deputy Commissioner Marty Rutherford, and from Revenue Commissioner Pat Galvin — all three major players in AGIA, the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, which resulted in approval of a state license to TransCanada.
Sullivan the lead in fighting feds Parnell said Sullivan “has been my lead in fighting the federal government to permit resource development across this state.” He cited Sullivan for skill in “bringing diverse agency teams and industry players together to resolve differences.”
Parnell did not name a new Attorney General.
In addition to Sullivan, Parnell named Marc Luiken commissioner of Transportation and Public Facilities and Becky Hultberg as commissioner of Administration. Luiken is currently deputy commissioner for aviation for DOT&PF. Luiken is a retired Air Force colonel and was vice commander of the 11th Air Force at Elmendorf Air Force Base.
Hultberg, currently with Providence Health and Services, is a former member of Gov. Frank Murkowski’s administration where she held various positions including press secretary and boards and commissions director.
Two commissioners were retained: Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Susan Bell and Environmental Conservation Commissioner Larry Hartig.
The governor also named an acting commissioner of Fish and Game, Cora Campbell.
Climate for jobs “From duct tape to high tech research” was how Parnell described the Alaska spirit and he told RDC: “We have got the capacity to innovate more, to change our investment climate and grow our economy way beyond what we can imagine at this point.”
Parnell said he was “seeking the best of the best” for the new cabinet and wanted a team to create a climate for jobs.
He said that he’s had the difficult task of thanking and saying goodbye to many administration members but said he plans to “inject some new innovators into the cabinet” who would help “open wider Alaska’s door for business.”
Parnell told RDC that Alaska is “a state rich in natural resources, and if innovation is about doing things in new ways, then we need new ways of thinking” across the state.
“We need to tax less to create jobs in the oil patch,” Parnell said.
And “we can’t have the federal government saying no to jobs on the outer continental shelf under the guise of needing another study for exploration projects.”
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