Palin’s resignation from AOGCC leaves only one commissioner

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief

Sarah Palin resigned from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission effective Jan. 20, leaving two seats on the three-member panel vacant. Randy Ruedrich resigned late last year from the petroleum engineer seat in a controversy over possible conflicts of interest between his role as a commissioner and his role as chair of the Republican Party in Alaska. That seat has not been filled.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski said in a Jan. 16 statement that he had accepted Palin’s resignation as commissioner, a position she has held since Feb. 19, 2003. Palin filled the public seat on the commission, and was its chair.

“It is with regret that I accept Sarah’s resignation,” the governor said. “She has done a fine job and made a good contribution to the operations of the AOGCC.”

Palin told Petroleum News “it is time for me to move on.” She said “a contributing factor,” although not the sole reason, “to my deliberations as to when it was time to move on was the controversy surrounding the former commissioner,” referring to Ruedrich, who resigned in November.

Palin said she had no immediate plans, but said she has “a huge passion to serve Alaska and Alaskans,” especially in a resource development capacity.

She said that Dan Seamount, the remaining commissioner, “has been doing double duty … and will have to do that for some time.”

Her resignation leaves the commission at something of an impasse: commission orders, even drilling permits, require the signatures of at least two commissioners, and two commissioners are required for the agency to conduct public business or hold hearings.

Joe Brenckle of the governor’s press office told Petroleum News Jan. 22 that no decision has been made yet when to appoint new commissioners.