Bush warms to gasline incentives

Steve Sutherlin, PNA managing editor

Rep. Don Young, Sen. Ted Stevens and Sen. Frank Murkowski met at the White House July 18 to discuss financial incentives for a North Slope gas line with U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Larry Lindsay, senior economic advisor to the president, and other Bush administration officials.

The meeting was described by the White House as preliminary to meetings of the House-Senate conference committee on H.R. 4. The joint committee will decide the fate of price-floor tax incentive measures for the pipeline, as contained in the Senate version of the energy bill.

A Murkowski spokesman confirmed that parties to the meeting had contacted North Slope gas owners for suggestions on incentives to help spur construction of the line. He said the July 18 meeting would be an opportunity for the administration and the Alaska delegation to review and discuss ideas for incentives.

It is unlikely that the meeting will produce a precise administration strategy for gasline incentives, but it will provide food for thought as the administration does so, according to the White House and Murkowski’s office.

At a July 17 press conference, Murkowski said the president was “already warm” to the idea of financial assistance to the gas line. However, it’s too early yet to say the administration is “on board” with any gas line incentive plan, Murkowski’s spokesman told PNA July 18.