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Legislative leaders talk about ‘moving Alaska forward,’ oil and gas industry New Senate President Gene Therriault and Speaker of the House Pete Kott call for systemic changes in permitting process Steve Sutherlin PNA Managing Editor
Leaders of both houses in the upcoming 23rd Alaska Legislature, Senate President Gene Therriault and Speaker of the House Pete Kott, said systemic changes are needed in the state’s permitting process. Under the header, “Moving Alaska Forward,” Therriault and Kott told attendees of the Resource Development Council’s annual conference Nov. 21 that the permitting process has been assembled piecemeal, and while there have been recent improvements, they are hopeful the Legislature can work with industry and the incoming administration to make a sweeping overhaul.
Therriault said RDC has been involved in looking at ways other states have dealt with permitting and the coastal zone system, to see if there is a more reasonable way of processing permits.
“Having met with Sen. Murkowski earlier this summer with a group from the resource community, he’s very interested in looking at the entire system to see where we can make changes that make sense,” Therriault said.
Therriault said he expected to see legislation early in the upcoming session to eliminate public funding for so called “public interest lawsuits,” allowing environmentalists to sue developers and be reimbursed by the state.
“That legislation almost went through the legislature last year. … I believe it will be reintroduced, it’s almost a surety,” he said. House to move slowly, quickly With 14 freshman representatives, there will be a great learning curve to climb in the House in the coming session, Kott said. The Republican majority will establish its priorities and objectives at an Alyeska retreat Dec. 3 and 4.
“We want to proceed diligently, slowly and very cautiously,” Kott said. “We don’t want to get out in front of the administration too far, we know that they are going to have a great learning curve as well.”
But Kott said the House can’t afford to linger.
“We have in the House two years to make a difference, the administration has four years, and the Senate has four years,” he said. “I believe the House will take the lead on most of the major issues that face the state.”
The first thing that’s going to be on everyone’s agenda is the fiscal gap, he said.
“We have to wrestle that problem and control it this time.”
Kott estimated there would be an $800 million draw on the constitutional budget reserve this year, leaving, at that rate about a year and a half reserve in the fund.
He said as a partial solution, the House would create a committee on economic development charged with boosting existing industries, and development of new ones.
Finally, Kott cautioned against unbridled optimism for synergy between the Republican-controlled legislature and the administration.
“This whole idea of this administration working with the legislature, certainly we are going to work hand in glove, but don’t get too excited, there’s going to be difficulties,” Kott said. “We each have our own individual ideas, we each have our own individual agenda, certainly we will work toward a common goal, but how we get there may be a little different.”
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