Alaska Legislative Session Ends in a Month - Inuvik Stays the Course Against Adversity

Alaska Journal of Commerce by Tim Bradner. One point of tension between the governor and legislators is over the work on an in-state gas pipeline. House Speaker Mike Chenault's HB 369 imposes new deadlines on work now under way in the governor's office to complete preliminary planning and engineering for a possible 24-inch gas pipeline from the North Slope to Southcentral Alaska. Bob Swenson, director of the in-state gas team in the governor's office, feels the new deadlines would be difficult to meet.

CBC.  Town leaders and business owners in Inuvik, N.W.T., where the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline would begin, are coping with the latest delay to the long-awaited project while maintaining hope that the $16.2-billion natural gas pipeline will be built. ... "We're still more optimistic than we were this time last year. I don't think the delay is a huge shock to anyone," Inuvik Mayor Denny Rodgers told CBC News on Thursday.  ... "It is going to have an effect on a lot of construction companies with equipment," said Jim McDonald, a town councillor....   "We really have never hinged all of our operation ability on the pipeline. We have other means to support ourselves," said Herbert Blake, a manager with Mackenzie Valley Construction.