BC’s gas export plans on same scale as Alberta’s  – Calgary Herald – She said her government is committed to working with the gas industry to build a pipeline from the province’s northeast natural gas fields to an LNG terminal in 

New York Times Supports LNG Export.  A new and long-awaited report from the Department of Energy has concluded that the government should quickly begin easing restrictions on the export of natural gas to take advantage of the vast new discoveries of a fuel that only a decade ago was in relatively short supply in this country.  Exporting natural gas is a controversial issue, with powerful forces on both sides. But we are persuaded by the report’s core finding that the benefits of selling gas to other countries would more than offset the modestly negative impact of higher prices for domestic users of the fuel.

Alaska Journal of Commerce/ADN by Tim Bradner.  The State of Alaska would finance $355 million of a liquefied natural gas project on the North Slope to support an LNG trucking operation as well as LNG re-gasification facilities near Fairbanks, Gov. Sean Parnell announced Dec 7.  Parnell’s proposal is for a $50 million state grant; $275 million in revenue bonds, and $30 million in gas storage tax credits through an existing program to help finance construction of LNG storage tanks on the North Slope and at North Pole.  The financing would also include an expanded gas distribution system in the Interior Alaska city, Parnell said in a press release. 

San Francisco Chronicle/AP by Dan Joling.  Gov. Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, budget, state spending, Alaska, pipeline throughput, Photo by Dave Harbouron Friday announced a proposed state budget that would limit growth in operating costs to less than 1 percent.  At a news conference after unveiling the numbers in a speech to the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Parnell said he is proposing an operating budget that spends $9 billion overall and a state general fund portion of $5.7 billion.  That’s 0.8 percent more than this year, he said.  "That is a level of increase that has not been seen in some years," he said.  Alaskans are not likely to detect changes in the bureaucracy. The lack of growth comes from anticipated savings in Medicaid costs, Parnell said.  Overall, state spending will be down nearly $1.1 billion from this year, Parnell said.  The big difference will be spending for buildings and other facilities. 

 


Brad Keithley, Alaskans for Sustainable Budget, ACES, AGIA, Photo by Dave HarbourBrad Keithley (NGP Photo) Blog.  Alaska Fiscal Policy| Finishing my analysis of the proposed budget; should publish it later today. The Governor gave it an interesting spin. Spending down from last year? Yes, some. But, still the second highest level of unrestricted general fund spending in Alaska’s history, no savings for future Alaskans and at least $1 billion, and more likely $2 billion, over sustainable budget levels. A lot less — a lot — than advertised.

Alaska Dispatch by Jill Burke.  Similar to last year, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell’s proposed $12.8 billion budget for 2014 calls for fiscal restraint, released under the banner of “responsible and responsive.”