Knowles sends gasline proposals to D.C.
Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles told the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Sept. 10 that national energy legislation is necessary to make an Alaska natural gas pipeline a reality and said he has sent proposals to the U.S. Senate Energy Commission recommending 10 provisions of an Alaska National Interest Natural Gas Development Act.
Knowles said that a letter to Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski, dated Sept. 10, included provisions mandating the Alaska Highway route, an expedited approval process for the Alaska portion of the pipeline and tax incentives: accelerated depreciation; an investment tax credit; and a gas tax credit.
Knowles said building the Alaska Highway gas pipeline will help stabilize and increase the nation's economic growth "at a time when our economy is suffering."
In addition to route and tax issues, Knowles proposed that federal legislation should also include preference for American and Canadian steel and a project labor agreement, address access to a gas pipeline for future gas developers, have a preference for Alaska use of Alaska residents and Alaska Natives on the project and jobs for Alaska businesses; and ensure access to gas for in-state uses.
Chugach, CIRI to study wind generation on Fire Island
Chugach Electric Association and Cook Inlet Region Inc. are funding a $50,000 project to study the feasibility of generating electricity from wind on Fire Island three miles west of Point Campbell in southcentral Alaska
Chugach will erect a trio of temporary structures – two 40-meter towers and one 10 meter tower -- to collect wind and weather information around the clock for 18 months
The project is an expansion of a study that Chugach began on Fire Island in 2000 using 10-meter mast. Over the past several years Chugach has used its meteorological towers and masts to collect wind data at a number of locations in the Anchorage area as part of an effort to determine if the conditions are right for commercial wind power generation.
“If the Kenai Intertie project goes ahead, one of the alternatives north along the coast to Point Possession could cross over to Anchorage via Fire Island. Should this route be chosen, a connection to the electric grid could be easily accomplished,” Kirk McGee said. McGee is CIRI’s vice president of real estate.
OTHER NEWS
The U.S. Coast Guard recertified the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council on Sept. 7. The Coast Guard received 20 comments on the council’s application for rectification under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The only critical comment came from the Cordova-based Native Village of Eyak, which said it did not feel it was being represented by the council.
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