A Great Week For Shell and For Alaska!

State Senate Leader Further Erodes Investment Climate: Producers Would Pay $2 Billion More/Year When/If Gas Pipeline Flows! -dh

Senator Murkowski's Thursday Speech Video

 

Yesterday morning, while speaking to a 7:30 a.m. crowd at the Resource Development in Anchorage, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (NGP Photo, w/RDC President Wendy Lindskoog) raised her vibrating Blackberry and announced that the Environmental Protection Agency had, in wake of President Barack Obama's OCS proclamation this week, approved Shell's Chukchi Sea Clean Air Act permit. Shell Alaska's Vice President, Pete Slaiby smiled as eyes turned on him and quickly left the room for his office as the meeting ended.  (We remember many Alaskans who testified in support of granting this permit last September, photo: Jim Gilbert)

ADN by Dan Joling.  The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it had approved a clean-air permit for Shell to operate its drilling ship in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast.

ADN editorial.  President Obama's decision on oil and gas exploration on the nation's outer continental shelf strikes a balance between environmental protection and increased U.S. oil and gas production, all in the context of gradually diminishing our reliance on fossil fuels.  "I felt the decision, as far as Alaska's position is concerned, was reasonable," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has sought accelerated exploration and drilling to tap more of Alaska's energy, both offshore and on.  Democratic Sen. Mark Begich struck a similar note. He said that, at least at first glance, the president aimed for balance and achieved it.

ADN by Elizabeth Bluemink.  Three lawsuits are pending, and Shell could encounter additional legal challenges if it receives key permits from federal regulators it still needs this spring.  

At Noon yesterday, Anchorage talk show host Dan Fagan (NGP Photo) hosted a Town Hall meeting in the Anchorage Convention Center, with several Assembly and statewide candidates and 'proxies' joining in a free for all debate, edgy at times, which covered many Alaskan issues: great and small.

Here are more Fagan Town Hall photos:

 Super Dave Stieren

 

 

 

Ethan Berkowitz

 

Andy Clary

 

 

Jim Lottsfeldt

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

...and other RDC photos:

 

Steve Pratt and Phil Steyer


 

 Jim Weeks with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Commissioner John Norman in background.