Mr. Murkowski goes to Juneau

Petroleum News Alaska

Alaska still has Bush vs. Railbelt issues. It still has declining state revenues. But as a result of the Nov. 5 election it will soon have something it hasn’t had in recent years: a legislative majority and a governor of the same political party.

Governor-elect Frank Murkowski said as election returns made his victory clear that Alaskans have a right to expect results, and that he expects to be held responsible.

Some of the results Murkowski has targeted to make the future brighter for Alaska’s miners would also make the future brighter for Alaska’s oil and gas industry:

Murkowski said in a mining position paper that he “will ask the Legislature to amend existing laws so a party seeking judicial review of state agency decisions is not awarded public interest litigant status and further, that the prevailing party in such actions shall be entitled to attorney fees and costs as in other civil actions.”

Murkowski also urged the state to “hold in abeyance its current plan to adopt coastal zone regulations before the current administration leaves office.” The regulations, he said, “create more uncertainty regarding any development project within the coastal zone.” Current inland and upland coastal zone boundaries “are unrealistic and must be addressed,” Murkowski said.

And on the permitting process in general, he said that while some are calling for a task force to review state permitting, “I want action, not studies.

“My cabinet will be my task force. My Attorney General will work with the Legislature and the resource departments to change the law where necessary. My commissioners will be active managers of their departments. We will provide needed leadership throughout state government and we will be accountable to Alaskans.

“If my appointees don’t do the job,” Murkowski said, “they will be replaced.”